Studying Ancient Myths in the Historiography of Political and Legal Thought

The article asserts that Russian historiography of political and legal thought has extensively examined ancient mythology in its coverage of classical myths, but has neglected earlier mythological systems that significantly influenced ancient traditions. The author seeks to address this gap, which hinders legal science from fully understanding the foundational origins of legal consciousness in human development. The analysis begins by exploring the concept of myth, emphasizing its etymological roots to demonstrate its intrinsic connection between the words “myth” and “thought”, which is crucial for constructing a historiography of political and legal thought in contrast to the historiography of political and legal doctrines. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of research into ancient myths, due to developing a comprehensive Russian historiography of political and legal thought. This is illustrated through historical evolution of key mythological concepts, such as the ancient Indian Rita and Zoroastrian Arta, which later transformed into Greek Arete, and subsequently into the Roman Virtus. The article underscores the value of hermeneutic methodology in comparative studies of early legal concepts across mythological systems, offering deeper insights into the civilizational distinctions of legal development worldwide – particularly in analyzing the unique legal cultures of the East and West.

Keywords: political and legal thought; legal consciousness; historiography; myth; ontology of law; Rita; Arete; Virtus