Strict liability is the opposite of the traditional concept of liability as we know it today, which is based on fault. It is a form of liability without fault, the origins of which can be traced back to Roman law; later, with the reception of Roman law and the Industrial Revolution, this concept was revived and came to the forefront. Liability without fault is a legal concept under which anyone who causes damage is liable to compensate for it regardless of their own fault, which is otherwise the fundamental premise of fault-based liability. In private law, this liability arises from the possession of a dangerous object or the engagement in a dangerous activity that poses a risk to others. If an individual benefits from engaging in a dangerous activity or possessing a dangerous object, they also bear responsibility for the risk or danger arising from such objects or activities. This is the principle of benefits and burdens, which stems from legal logic.
This master’s thesis is based on the hypothesis that Roman law laid the foundations for modern Slovenian civil law, as evidenced by the reception of fundamental principles of Roman law. At the beginning of this master’s thesis, I present the concept of strict liability, define it, and explain its relationship to fault-based liability. This is followed by a discussion of strict liability in Roman law, in which I present Roman legal concepts and legal solutions. I then continue with the historical development of the doctrine, which represents a link between Roman and modern law. In the final section, I present the legal framework in modern Slovenian law, with an emphasis on the current statutory framework and specific cases from judicial practice. A comparative analysis in the conclusion confirms that the influence of Roman law and the reception of specific Roman legal solutions can be recognized in the modern Slovenian legal system, even though strict liability in Roman law was not formulated as a unified and systematic legal institution in the sense we understand it today.
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