Brehon

Brithem [' briθev ], also breithem, in early medieval Irish law is the name for a judge or lawyer.

Brithem derives from the Irish word breth ( "judgment" ), urkeltisch equivalent * brit, manufactures and means in its original sense " judgment makers". The task of brithem that legal knowledge was perceived in Ireland before the Christianization of the Druids. It is assumed that each tribal group ( tuath ) a brithem had, which was used by the king ( rí ). Since the 7th century, numerous legal works were written in the training schools of jurists. It was not until the conquest of Ireland by the British in the 16th and early 17th century, the state of this judge was removed from his position.

From the plural form brithemain was brehon by Anglicization the word from which the English name of the traditional Irish Brehon Laws law derives.