BONFANTE, PIETRO. - Jurist, b. 29 June 1864 at Poggio Mirteto, d. in Rome on 21 Nov. 1932. Professor of Roman law at the Universities of Camerino, Messina, Parma, Turin, Pavia, and Rome; he also taught the history of commerce at the « Luigi Bocconi » Commercial University of Milan.
Roman law, both public and private, was his particular field; but he also possessed a profound knowledge of modern legal systems. To know a legal system, ancient or modern, meant for him to know it in its being and its development, that is, in its dogmatic and historical aspects; and to know the history of a law meant to know the entire history of the people among whom that law arises and evolves.
To celebrate the fortieth year of his teaching, 4 volumes of Studi in onore di P. B. (Milan 1930) were published.
Works: Istituzioni di diritto romano (10th ed., Rome 1934); Storia del diritto romano (4th ed., ibid. 1934); Diritto romano (Florence 1900, a work of lucid synthesis); Corso di diritto romano (Rome 1925-33, a work of monumental scope, unfortunately incomplete); Scritti giuridici vari (4 vols., Turin 1916, 1918, 1921; vol. IV in Rome 1925); Lezioni di storia del commercio (2 vols., ibid. 1924).