Code of Hammurabi
- According to the preface and the epilogue of the Code, why did Hammurabi compile
these laws?
The primary reason was to appease the
... [Show More] Gods. Hammurabi was convinced that he was a
messenger of the gods and it was his duty to convey how the people would behave. He sought
to provide his people with rendering judgments, give verdicts for disputes, and provide just
ways for the wronged. He wanted to bring justice to the land so his people understood how to
live to enhance their well-being.
- What are the main principles of justice reflected in these laws?
The core principle of the code is an excellent example of an eye for an eye justice. If you
transgress against another person, the punishment is similar to the transgression. An example:
if a person steals, the hand of the thief is cut off. Hammurabi wanted to make justice visible to
all. He wanted to destroy the wicked and the evil-doer, and the strong shall not injure the weak.
The laws covered trade, slavery, workers, theft, liability, and marital relations.
- How do we know there were social classes in Babylonia?
The code distinguishes among the elite (Amelu), the freemen (Mushkenu), and the slaves
(Ardu). Depending upon the class a man belongs to determined how justice was meted out.
- How did women’s rights compare to men’s rights?
Women were subservient to men. Men’s actions determined the rulings written in the code.
What a woman did gave a man total control over her future. A woman only had rights if a man
was unfaithful or for inheritance if a man dies or deserts the woman. Women appear to be in
the Ardu class, while men can be in any of the three classes.
- What does the code tell us about the power and authority in Babylonian families?
The husband had total control of the family, even to the point of selling family members to
resolve obligations. The wife only has control upon death or desertion of the husband. The
children had no rights.
- Was there protection for private property and the consumer/customer?
Laws 102-105, 108, 117-119: these laws cover a merchant’s conduct, a female innkeeper, and
family obligations.
- Was the temple protected?
Yes. The temple is the house of worship to the gods. Since the code is God’s laws as presented
by Hammurabi (their messenger), the code protects the temple. [Show Less]