In roman jurisprudence, the concept similar to the Rule of Law was referred to as:

Question

The aim of the rules of natural justice is to secure justice or to put it negatively to prevent miscarriage of justice. These rules can operate only in areas not covered by any law validly made. In other words, they do not supplant the law of the land but supplement it. The concept of natural justice has undergone a great deal of change in recent years. In the past, it was thought that it included just two rules namely: (1) no one shall be a judge in his own case (Nemo debet esse judex propria causa) and (2) no decision shall be given against a party without affording him a reasonable hearing (audi alteram partem).
Very soon thereafter a third rule was envisaged and that is that quasi-judicial enquiries must be held in good faith, without bias and not arbitrarily or unreasonably. But in the course of years many more subsidiary rules came to be added to the rules of natural justice. Till very recently it was the opinion of the courts that unless the authority concerned was required by the law under which it functioned to act judicially there was no room for the application of the rules of natural justice. The validity of that limitation is not questioned.
If the purpose of the rules of natural justice is to prevent miscarriage of justice one fails to see why those rules should be made inapplicable to administrative enquiries. Often times it is not easy to draw the line that demarcates administrative enquiries from quasi-judicial enquiries. Enquiries which were considered administrative at one time are now being considered as quasi-judicial in character. Arriving at a just decision is the aim of both quasi-judicial enquiries as well as administrative enquiries. An unjust decision in an administrative enquiry may have more far reaching effect than a decision in a quasi-judicial enquiry as observed by this Court in Suresh Koshy George v. University of Kerala [Civil Appeal No. 990/68, decided on 15-07- 1968], the rules of natural justice are not embodied rules. What particular rule of natural justice should apply to a given case must depend to a great extent on the facts and circumstances of that case, the framework of the law under which the enquiry is held and the constitution of the Tribunal or body of persons appointed for that purpose. Whenever a complaint is made before a court that some principle of natural justice had been contravened the court has to decide whether the observance of that rule was necessary for a just decision on the facts of that case.
[Extract from the judgment of the Supreme Court in A.K. Kraipak v. Union of India, (1969) 2 SCC 262, decided on April 29, 1969, hereafter ‘A.K. Kraipak’].

Answer 1

Step 1: Understand the question.
We must find which Roman law idea is closest to the modern Rule of Law.

Step 2: Recall the Rule of Law idea.
The Rule of Law means the law should be based on reason and justice, should apply equally to all, and should not bend to the arbitrary will of a ruler.

Step 3: Look at Jus Naturale.
Jus Naturale means natural law or natural justice. It is seen as universal and unchanging, flowing from the very nature of things, and human laws should match it. This idea of higher, just principles above any ruler's whim is very close to the Rule of Law.

Step 4: Look at the other Roman terms.
Jus Gentium was the law of nations, used between Romans and foreigners. Jus Civile was the civil law for Roman citizens. Lex Regia was about royal power. These are particular legal systems or grants of power, not the philosophy of just law applying to all.

Step 5: Pick the closest match.
Since the Rule of Law is about reason and justice standing above arbitrary power, Jus Naturale is the nearest Roman concept.

Step 6: State the answer.
The concept similar to the Rule of Law is Jus Naturale.
\[ \boxed{\text{Jus Naturale}} \]

In roman jurisprudence, the concept similar to the Rule of Law was referred to as:

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The Correct Option is C

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