SCIALOJA, Vittorio. Jurist, b. in Turin on 24 Apr. 1856, d. in Rome on 19 Nov. 1933. Having graduated from the University of Rome in 1877, after a brief period at the presidency of the Court of Cassation in Rome, he taught Roman law at the University of Camerino and subsequently, as full professor, at Siena (1881) and at Rome (1881), the university which he was to illustrate with his teaching until 1931.
He was a national fellow and for some time president of the Accademia dei Lincei, promoter and president of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, senator of the Kingdom from 1904, and minister of state from 1927. He held honorary doctorates from the Universities of Paris, Strasbourg, Prague, Turin, and Cairo.
His intellect enabled him to excel in the most diverse fields. As a jurist, he was a distinguished master in both historical disciplines and current law, participated in codification work in Italy and abroad, founded and directed the Bullettino dell’Istituto di diritto romano of the University of Rome, which had been established through his efforts. A political figure, he maintained the highest tone in Senate debates and served as Minister of Grace and Justice in the Sonino cabinet (1909–10), minister without portfolio in the Boselli cabinet (1916–17), and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Nitti cabinets (1919–20). He was a delegate to the Peace Conference (1919–20) and to the League of Nations (1921–32), and in difficult moments he upheld Italy’s prestige solely through the authority of his name and expertise. As an advocate, his opinions and arguments set an unsurpassed example of learning and refinement that remains unmatched to this day. As an editor, he actively collaborated on the edition of the Digesta (Milan 1908–31).
Among his legal works, the most important, besides numerous courses on Roman law, are: I negozi giuridici, Rome 1892–93 (2nd ed. ibid. 1933); Teoria della proprietà in diritto romano, 2 vols., ibid. 1928; Diritto ereditario romano, ibid. 1933; Procedura civile romana (integr. by V. Arangio-Ruiz), ibid. 1936. His very numerous articles and speeches were largely collected by L. Trompe: Studi giuridici e scritti e discorsi politici, 7 vols., Rome 1932–36.