GRAVI'NA, GIOVANNI VINCENZO, born at Ruggiano in Cala bria in 1064, studied at Naples, where he devoted himself chiefly to the investigation of jurisprudence, ancient and modern. He after wards went to Rome, where he and Creschnbeui were the founders of the Accademia degli Arcadi, which has continued ever since. In 1698 Innocent X11. appointed him professor of civil and canon law in the University of Rome. Gravina gave up his chair in 1714, and visited Calabria, but after two years he returned to Rome, whore he refused several offers of professorahips in various German universities. Victo rius Amadeus, king of Sardinia, having offered him the chair of law in the University of Turin, together with the prefectship of that institution, Gravina was preparing to remove thither, but he died in January 1718. He left all his property to his disciple Trapasai, oom monly called Metastasio, whom he had brought up in his house like a son. The principal work of Gravina, for which he ranks high among jurists, is the ' Originum Juris Civilia, libri In the first book, Da Ortu et Progresso Juris Civilia,' he traces the origin of juris prudence from the first institutions of Rome, from the division of tho population into orders, from the political condition of the infant state, and from tho laws of the kings collected afterwards by Sextua Papirius, and known by the name of Jus Papirianum, of which fragments havo been preserved. This book is in fact an elaborate treatise on the early dell and politioal system of Rome. In the second book, De Jure Natnrali Clentium, et XII. Tabularum,' he follows the progress of Initiation in Rome under the Republic, and he shows the connection between the Roman laws and the general principles of justice, which the Romans seem to base kept In view in their civil enactments more than any other nation of antiquity. The author also carefully
the fragments of the Twelve Tables. The third book, 'De Legibus et Seamans completes this sketch of Roman jurisprudence ; and the author treats at length of the opinions or decisions of the Roman jurist*, who were often consulted by the senate, and whose 'Response' form a most important part of the Roman law. lie also treats of the modern jurists who lived after the restoration of the Roman law In the West, beginning from Irnerius, or Varnerlus, a pro fearer of Bologna In the 1 Ith century, who, at the desire of the Countess Ilathilda, revived the knowledge of the Juetinian Coda many years the reported discovery of the Pandecte by the Pisan, at Amalfi, and passing in review those who followed in successive ages down to his own time. The publication of the ' Originum Juris Civilis 'attracted universal attention throughout Europe, and Montesquieu and other competent judges have bestowed praise on the manner in which the author handles his subjects, and the many luminous principles and happy definitions contained in the work. The best edition is that of Leipzig, 2 vols. Ito, 1787. It has been translated into French under the title of 'Esprit dee Lois Romaine.,' Perin, 1766. Gravina wrote also—]. 'De Romano IMperio liber aiogularia,' an inforior performance, in which the author seems intent on flattering the vanity of the modern Romano. 2: 'Della Region l'oetica,' being a treatise on the art of poetry. 3. Institutiones Canoniae; published at Turin after his death; besides several very inferior tragedies, some orations, and other °pustule. Febbroni published a biography of Graving. (Corniani, Secoli ddla Letteratara Italian, art. Gravina;)