Transcript Hammurabi's Code of Laws

Hammurabi's Code of
Laws
The Law Code of Hammurabi is one of
the oldest public documents we have to
tell us how the ancient world was like.
Description of the Laws
• The Code of Hammurabi is an
ancient preserved law code
created in 1790 B.C in ancient
Babylon. Hammurabi collected
laws form the entire
Babylonian Empire to make his
law code
• It was written by the sixth
Babylonian king Hammurabi.
• One nearly complete example
of the Code is left today,
inscribed on a seven foot, four
inch tall, in basalt steel, in the
cuneiform written Language.
Relevant Dates
• The the full Code of
Hammurabi was
discovered in 1901
by the Egyptologist
Gustav Jequier.
• Fractions of the code
stones have been
found all around the
areas conquered by
the Babylonians
Purpose of Creation
• First ever written entire body of laws, arranged in orderly
groups, so that all men might read and know what was
required of them. Now everyone knew the laws
• The law code were thought of as a prayer, though the prayers
here are chiefly cursing of whoever shall neglect or destroy the
law.
• The judge who lies in a law case is to be removed from his
position forever.
• The witness who testifies falsely is to be killed. Indeed, all the
heavier crimes are made punishable with death.
• It is reasonable to believe that there was a bit of crime and
disorder in ancient Mesopotamia, especially given the issues
the different city-states had. And the laws in each area
changed, so Hammurabi made the law uniform for all of the
areas under Babylonian control
Code of Hammurabi
1800 BCE
Set of divinely inspired laws (laws came from the gods);
as well as societal laws from many different city states.
Punishments were designed to fit the crimes as people
must be responsible for own actions
Origin of “eye for an eye…”
If a son struck his father, son’s hand would be cut off
Consequences for crimes depended on rank in society
Poor/workers = hand chopped off, nobles = pay a fine
So the law code was not equal for all classes.
Hammurabi receiving law code
from sun god Shamash
Importance to the Ancients
•
Hammurabi's Code of the
ancient Mesopotamian society
was important because it set the
first written laws in human
history.
•
The code contained 282 laws
written in 12 tablets in the
cuneiform language which was
common in Babylonia.
•
This work is also a great source
of information about the society,
religion, economy, and history
of this period.
•
Each part describes in detail a
crime or incident, and the
punishment/procedure for it.
Hammurabi's Code Reflection Assignment
A Reminder: The MINIMUM is 3 full, well thought out sentences
per paragraph. I want you to exhibit analysis and advanced
thinking in reflections. NO FLUFF!
Paragraph 1. What does Hammurabi's Code tell you about life in
Mesopotamia? Does it appear that crime was a problem? Why do
you think his penalties for the specific crimes were so harsh?
Paragraph 2. Describe and explain the differences between U.S. and
state law and Hammurabi's laws. Why do you think these
differences exist? Explain the differences.
Paragraph 3. Do you think MOTIVE (i.e. WHY someone does
something) should be considered in a law case? Do you think
Hammurabi cared why someone broke the law? Why or why not,
and explain.