Scope of Urban Servitudes and Acquisition by Landowners — Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian Book 8 (8.4.1.pr–8.4.1.1), Latin & English

[ULPIANUS libro secundo institutionum.]

[ULPIAN, Institutes, Book 2]

§8.4.1.pr

Aedificia urbana¹ quidem praedia appellamus: ceterum etsi in uilla aedificia sint, aeque seruitutes urbanorum praediorum constitui possunt.

Indeed, we call buildings urban estates. However, even if there are buildings in a country villa, servitudes of urban estates can equally be established.

§8.4.1.1

Ideo autem hae seruitutes praediorum appellantur, quoniam sine praediis constitui non possunt: nemo enim potest seruitutem adquirere uel urbani uel rustici praedii, nisi qui habet praedium.²

Now, these are called servitudes of estates for this reason, because they cannot be established without estates; for no one can acquire a servitude, whether of an urban or a rustic estate, unless he owns an estate.

Syntax notes2 items

8.4.1.prAedificia urbana
Although 'urbana' can be construed as an adjective directly modifying 'aedificia' ('buildings in a city'), it is also closely related to the following 'praedia' ('urban estates'). The former interpretation is adopted here to show the contrast that while buildings in a city are normally called urban estates, those in country villas can also receive the same legal treatment.
8.4.1.1nisi qui habet praedium
The phrase 'nisi qui' is a shorthand where the demonstrative pronoun 'is' (serving as the antecedent to 'qui') is omitted, equivalent to 'nisi is qui' ('except he who'). Combined with the negative subject 'nemo' ('no one') of the main clause, it expresses the limitation 'unless one owns an estate, no one can...'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-07-12) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:8.4.1.pr-8.4.1.1