is a well-preserved Babylonian law code, dating back to about 1772 BC. The Code deals with matters of contract, establishing for example the wages to be paid to an ox driver or a surgeon. It set the terms of a transaction, establishing the liability of a builder for a house that collapses, for example, or property that is damaged while left in the care of another. A third of the code addresses issues concerning household and family relationships such as inheritance, divorce, paternity and sexual behavior.
From 1792 to 1750 BC, old babylonian period.
The code is seen as an early example of a fundamental law regulating a government like a primitive constitution.
What is the code's significance:
So that everyone who read the laws would know what was required of them. It gave the civilization a standard to base their actions off of.
How many parts:
There are 44 columns and 28 paragraphs that contained over 282 laws.
Which quote seems the most common sensical to todays standard:
“If a man has broken into a house he shall be killed before the breach and buried there” Law 21. This could be in use for the bearing arms rights america has. Gun to protect ourselves and our homes incase of intruders.
Which one quote seems the most divergent from todays standards:
“If a man has stolen goods from a temple, or house, he shall be put to death; and he that has received the stolen property from him shall be put to death.” Law 6
Our judicial system does not support death for a robbery and would either make the person pay a fine or do some jail time.
Which one quote caused you to laugh and or smile:
“If a man has caught either a male or female runaway slave in the open field and has brought him back to his owner, the owner of the slave shall give him two shekels of silver.”
Seems like a quick way to make money.
What is the value of studying the Code of Hammurabi for History 321:
Its very important to understand the laws to understand the mindset of those civilizations. Understanding that will help to understand why the ancient civilizations did what they did.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
It gave society rules that they needed to follow. I think Hammurabi’s Code of law taught people that everyone is and should be treated equal.…
- 899 Words
- 4 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Imagine you lived in ancient Babylon and Hammurabi had just created his code. There would be 282 laws on a stone stele in the center of the city. Together, these laws were called Hammurabi’s code. Hammurabi ruled for a total of 42 years. But unfortunately, Hammurabi’s code was unjust because of it’s family and property laws.…
- 348 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Have you ever wondered about Hammurabi’s Code? Hammurabi was the king of Babylonia. Hammurabi’s Code are a set of laws. The purpose of the code was to keep the citizens of Babylonia safe. Hammurabi’s code is just for two reasons: it protected the citizens of Babylonia, and it taught to not commit crimes.…
- 475 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Hammurabi’s was a king in Mesopotamia with laws that were used for just or unjust reasons. Hammurabi’s codes are set of laws that are written down. Hammurabi was the king of Babylon in Mesopotamia. The purpose of Hammurabi’s code was for the citizens of his city-state to follow the laws if not they deal with Hammurabi. Hammurabi’s Code was just for three reasons personal injury,family law, and property law.…
- 527 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Mesopotamia, “the Land between Rivers,” was one of the greatest and the oldest ancient civilizations of the world. This civilization flourished around 3000 B.C. on the piece of fertile land, now known as Iraq, between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. Before 1792 B.C., the city-states of ancient Mesopotamia were not united and constantly clashed in turmoil and warfare. In 1792 B.C., King Hammurabi conquered and merged the neighboring city states of ancient Mesopotamia, creating a Babylonian empire and becoming the sixth king of its capitol city, Babylon. During his reign, Hammurabi established law and order and funded irrigation, defense, and religious projects. He personally took care of and governed the administration. In fact, in 1786, he wrote two hundred eighty-two laws governing family, criminal punishment, civil law, ethics, business, prices, trade, and every other aspect of ancient life—this set of laws became known as “the Code of Hammurabi.” Carved upon a black stone eight feet high where everyone could read them, this Code was an improvement from previous lawless dynasties. However, these laws—compared to some other ancient laws such as the Mosaic Law and Roman Justinian Code—were unfair, unjust, and based on the social classes.…
- 1585 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
A law code is a written set of rules and behavior. There have been many societies throughout history that have written law codes before 600 CE. An example of a law code is the law code of Hammurabi. Law codes from different societies and civilizations have similarities and differences from 8000 BCE to 600 CE. Similarities and differences can be found in law codes religious and non religious.…
- 381 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
A: The Hammurabi Code probably helped Hammurabi maintain order and a basis of peace in his regime. The laws were limits and constraints on his people to follow in order to maintain a peaceful and orderly society.…
- 403 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Hammurabi's code of law in document one of the many methods by which rulers established their power. Like many rulers, Hammaurabi created a code of law, that the people in his empire had to adhere to. Creating a code of law was not meant to be cruel but to inform people living within the empire that their were rules and regulations that they had to follow. “If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death,and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death.” Law number six makes it evident that religion played a part in society and people had to respect that as well.…
- 421 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The Code of Hammurabi is one of the earliest recorded law codes, written in 1772 BC. The 10 Commandments were written by God and given to Moses on Mount Sinai, sometime around 1300 BC. The Beatitudes were given by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. The Code focuses on punishments for crimes, the Commandments are laws on the correct way to live and go to heaven, and the Beatitudes talk about how the unfortunate on Earth will live in paradise when they die. In this essay I will go into more depth and compare and contrast the 3 codes.…
- 413 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
* In about 450 B.C., the first Roman code of laws was written. Called the Twelve Tables, the code gave plebeians some degree of protection against unfair and oppressive patrician officials, who could interpret customary law in arbitrary way.…
- 966 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
This code was carved on a monumental stone for all to see. In doing this, the entire population would be able to know for sure what is expected of them and what the punishments would be if these codes were broken. We also see this same concept stated in the Jewish Torah which came into being about 700 years later then the code of Hammurabi. From the book of Exodus, chapter 21 line 23, “But if any harm follow, thou shalt give life for life, Eye for Eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (mechon-mamre) This excerpt is stating the same concept almost identical to that of Babylon’s Hammurabi. It is also placed in full public view because of the fact that it is the key point of the Jewish lifestyle. When comparing these two texts it would seem that the Jewish Torah has built from the Hammurabi’s code and elaborated it into parts of their religious teachings and their way of…
- 764 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
When it comes to the characteristics the United States Constitution and Hammurabi’s Law Code have in common both, obviously, are sets of laws. This means that they both have decrees that must be followed. Also, the purpose of both of these laws is to protect and bring justice to the people to whom the rules shall apply. Some basic…
- 1498 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
Law codes serve two major functions, to promote order and enforce stability. Not all law codes are the same. They differ depending on the influences acting upon the ruler, and the region the laws are created to work for. Even so, the laws all serve the same purpose. Like Ashoka’s Pillars and Hammurabi’s code. Asoka’s laws and Hammurabi’s laws differ on the grounds of social systems, yet relate on the idea of technology.…
- 895 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
The foundations of current laws and security practices are found in history. The Code of Hammurabi, (1750 B.C.) was created by King Hammurabi in Babylonia. It was established with 282 clauses regulating marriage, slavery, commerce, debt, and theft. Punishment for offenders was considered barbaric. In 621 B.C. a Greek man named Draco wrote Draco’s Law. These were the first written laws in Greece. Punishment for crimes was unreasonable and many were sentenced to death. The word Draconian is a term used to describe unreasonable law.…
- 456 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Throughout time, any newly founded societies, groups, tribes, or cultures proved there was an inherent need for order, structure, rules, and regulations to avoid chaos and implosion. Without any sort of codification, chaos within the world would dominate. There would be more murder, burglary, and injuries throughout the nation. To avoid conflict, we decided to set rules, laws, and regulations within numerous documents to enforce order, structure and control throughout America.…
- 1001 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays