Egyptian Civilizations
Ryan Burris
HIS 121 (I2) Spring- 2014
Module 2 Egyptian Civilizations
January 31, 2014
Egyptian Civilizations In the reading, "Justice for Everybody in Imperial Egypt", the legal system of Imperial Egypt viewed people differently. It is believed that Egyptian law was based on a common sense view of right and wrong, following the codes based on the concept of Ma'at. Ma'at represented truth, order, balance and justice in the universe. This was the highest conception of physical and moral law and order that was known to the Egyptians. This concept allowed that everyone, with the exception of slaves, should be viewed as equals under the law, regardless of wealth or social position. When punishment was carried out, often the entire family of the guilty suffered as well. For example, when individuals were sentenced to exile, their children were automatically outlawed along with them. If a relative deserted from military service, or defaulted on the labor demands of the state, the entire family might be imprisoned.
The tale of the Eloquent Peasant is a great source of information about how law and justice were perceived and carried out in ancient Egypt. At the heart of the tale is a series of nine pleas by a wronged peasant to an Egyptian judge to do justice (Ma’at). He seeks the answer to one of life’s most fundamental problems, the true nature of justice and equates the accomplishment of justice with the essence of life itself. The peasant urges the judge to speak and practice ma‛at, praising ma‛at as powerful and enduring because to do ma‛at is the essence of goodness, the road to immortality. This particular story was widely told in the Middle
Kingdom of Egypt and shows us the point that even the problems of common peasants were considered important. Khunanpu was a peasant farmer and one day he decided to take his produce down to Eqypt, to trade for provisions for his family. Along his way, he came across the home of Djehutinakhte.
HIS 121 (I2) Spring- 2014
Module 2 Egyptian Civilizations
January 31, 2014
Egyptian Civilizations In the reading, "Justice for Everybody in Imperial Egypt", the legal system of Imperial Egypt viewed people differently. It is believed that Egyptian law was based on a common sense view of right and wrong, following the codes based on the concept of Ma'at. Ma'at represented truth, order, balance and justice in the universe. This was the highest conception of physical and moral law and order that was known to the Egyptians. This concept allowed that everyone, with the exception of slaves, should be viewed as equals under the law, regardless of wealth or social position. When punishment was carried out, often the entire family of the guilty suffered as well. For example, when individuals were sentenced to exile, their children were automatically outlawed along with them. If a relative deserted from military service, or defaulted on the labor demands of the state, the entire family might be imprisoned.
The tale of the Eloquent Peasant is a great source of information about how law and justice were perceived and carried out in ancient Egypt. At the heart of the tale is a series of nine pleas by a wronged peasant to an Egyptian judge to do justice (Ma’at). He seeks the answer to one of life’s most fundamental problems, the true nature of justice and equates the accomplishment of justice with the essence of life itself. The peasant urges the judge to speak and practice ma‛at, praising ma‛at as powerful and enduring because to do ma‛at is the essence of goodness, the road to immortality. This particular story was widely told in the Middle
Kingdom of Egypt and shows us the point that even the problems of common peasants were considered important. Khunanpu was a peasant farmer and one day he decided to take his produce down to Eqypt, to trade for provisions for his family. Along his way, he came across the home of Djehutinakhte.