Babylonian Women Research Paper

What constitutes inequality? What gives one the right to make someone inferior to another? What is the logical reason behind the mistreatment of women in ancient societies? Before modern society, before the renaissance, before Christ was born, there lived two distinctly different civilizations residing in, what is now, Southwest Asia. The Babylonians (about 1700 B.C.E.) and the Hebrews (about 950 B.C.E.) had their own religions, values, and social standards. The Babylonians were polytheistic, with Marduk at the spearhead. The Hebrews, on the other hand, were the first monotheistic people and worshiped Yahweh, the one true God. Just as their beliefs varied, the treatment of women in both societies was very different. The differences in the treatment of women between the Babylonians and the Hebrews had a large impact on how women were viewed and judged in society.
Marriage, even in ancient times, is a very impactful time in one’s life. However, the laws regarding marriage in Babylon and Hebrew society were immensely different. A Babylonian man received his wife’s dowry, typically money, from her father on their
This marked the course of gender equality for all future societies. Every since these civilizations, women have been notoriously inferior to men throughout history and it is interesting that these two civilizations were so different. They were both two of the first existing civilizations, yet their laws and values are so contradictory. Babylonians valued their women and gave them so many more opportunities. Depending on the civilization, women had different rights and values in society. Although women in Hebrew society led easier lives because there was no freedom of choice, women living in Babylon led better lives because they had the freedom to almost everything as their male counterparts and be their own person without “belonging” to