[1] Unlike most jurists of the time, he was not of senatorial rank and was admitted to the equestrian order only rather late in life,[2] by virtue of his exceptional ability[3] and imperial patronage.
Masurius was the first person to give "state-certified opinions" (publice respondere),[4] a privilege granted by the emperor which marked increasing imperial control over the judicial process after the end of the Roman Republic.
[5] The passage in the Digest of Justinian that discusses the granting of Masurius's authority is thus a pivotal point in the history of Roman law.
He was succeeded by a line of jurists including Gnaeus Arulenus Caelius Sabinus (consul 69 AD), Gaius Cassius Longinus (hence adherents of the school are also referred to as the Cassiani), Javolenus Priscus, and Salvius Julianus.
[7] They were rivals to the Proculiani, named after Proculus, but despite many references in Gaius to their controversies,[8] it is hard to disentangle consistent views for each.