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How Did The Code Of Hammurabi Continuity

1879 Words8 Pages

Anna Paraschac
World Religions IX - 3
Ms. Fillion
02/10/2023
Continuity Displayed in the Code of Hammurabi In 1901, an ancient stele written thousands of years ago was excavated from Susa, containing one of the earliest legal codes to ever be found. In the ancient world of Babylonia, the Code of Hammurabi was created around 1780 BCE (Editors of McGill), written by the Babylonian king Hammurabi. The legal code consisted of 282 rules that set fines and punishments according to the requirements of Justice. The code was especially infamous for having punishments vary based on your social class. Before the Babylonians, the Sumerians inhabited Mesopotamia. Much of Babylonian culture was influenced by the Sumerians and their great achievements. Although the Code of Hammurabi was somewhat innovative in that it introduced the idea of lex talionis, the notion of a law of retaliation in which punishment matches the crime, it primarily represented continuity from previous legal systems and religious concepts that had been in place since the …show more content…

The city state of Sumer existed around 4500 BCE to 4000 BCE (History.com editors). One of the most crucial parts of their legal system was the Code of Ur-Nammu, which later influenced the Code of Hammurabi. This code “was composed three centuries before the Code of Hammurabi '' by King ur-Nammu and dealt with injuries and sexual offenses (Editors of The Code of Hammurabi). The legal code consisted of “[p]unishments [that] took the form of fines” (Mark, Joshua J). This code set rules that if broken, resulted in fines. This law code was also crucial to the Sumerians’ legal system and “in turn, served as a model for the Code of Hammurabi” (Mark, Joshua J). Many aspects of the Code of Ur-Nammu helped create and influence other legal systems following the Sumerians, as we will see in the Code of

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The first set of laws were written over 4,000 years ago by a king named Hammurabi. Hammurabi was a Babylonian king in around 1792 BCE. Babylon is located in modern day central Iraq. But in 1792 BCE it was the capital of a well known empire. Hammurabi claimed that Shamash, the god of justice, instructed him in the law.

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Although the code sculpted the culture in 1797 BC, the code would have no chance of surviving in any modern country to this day due to the harsh punishments received from breaking the laws. According to Hammurabi, he stated “...the strong might not inquire the weak, in order to protect the widows and orphans, I set up these my precious words...etc” (Doc B). Although I do not agree with Hammurabi’s code, I do believe that he was trying to create and maintain a healthy and safe environment for his people by trying to prevent crime with such a harsh set of laws. However, the consequences for not abiding these laws were too harsh.

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Around 4,000 years ago, there was a man who became the king of a small city-state called Babylon, his name was Hammurabi. Hammurabi wanted peace in his kingdom, so in his 38th year of ruling he created 282 different laws that were carved on a stele. He called this Hammurabi’s Code Of Laws. When they finished it there was a total of 3,500 lines of writing, that covered both sides of the stele. (BGE)

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Soniyah Boun Ms. Kruse World History Honors Period 4 9/28/17 Hammurabi’s Code: Was it Just? Today’s current justice system requires police departments, court trials, and lawyers to determine right from wrong, but back in early history things were much more different. Straying away from legal court cases there was the first actual uniform set of laws to keep civilians in check called Hammurabi’s code. Four hundred centuries ago most of Mesopotamia (which was the first civilization) was under the rule of King Hammurabi who at first only had power over a limited part of the city in Babylon which was a city-state at the time.

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Lauren Soule Pd:1 10/31/22 Hammurabi’s Code: Was it Just? Just about 4000 years ago in 1750 B.C, Hammurabi became the ruler of Babylon, the capital city-state of the Kingdom of Babylonia. Under the guidance of the god Shamash, Hammurabi created 282 laws to protect the people. His rules are just in the name of the gods and society.

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Can you imagine accidentally taking something from a seller and getting the death penalty for an honest mistake! Well you better believe because this was just one one of hammurabi's 282 rules. About 40 centuries ago a set of laws called Hammurabi’s code. Hammurabi ruled the babylonian Empire With a population of 1,000,000 people for 42 years after his father’s death. But not all his codes were fair to all of the people in his Empire.

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The Code of Hammurabi was a comprehensive set of laws that are considered by many scholars and historians to be the oldest laws established. They were passed down for four thousand years by King Hammurabi of Babylon. Although the code was created with good intent and humanitarian intent it contained the “eye for an eye” theory of punishment, which is a very barbaric form of the concept of making the punishment fit the crime. This and many other laws within the code tell us humans a lot about the Mesopotamian civilization but one’s that stood out are code numbers 3, 5, and 6. The Code of Hammurabi was a unique set of laws and had many interesting ones, but one that I think that stood out and revealed a lot about Mesopotamian civilization is code number 3, “if anyone bring an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offence charged, be put to death.”

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The Judgments of Hammurabi are a set of laws that were written by a god. The laws were put in place “to promote the welfare of the people, to cause justice to prevail in the land, and so the strong might not oppress the weak.” The Tale of The Eloquent Peasant, depicts how a peasant has been robbed of his goods and how he eloquently appeals to the king for justice to be served. Both articles discuss; the division of a society’s social class, how gods/kings interpret justice and family relationships within the law. The Judgments of Hammurabi laid out the rules for Mesopotamian citizens.

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With the help of laws that had punishments like loosing a hand or an eyeball, looking back into Babylonian society was made a lot easier. These laws were created by the king of the city-state Babylon around 1792 BCE, Hammurabi. His reasoning for enforcing the laws, known as Hammurabi’s code, was to protect the weak and those who could not help themselves (doc B). He created 282 laws, and carved them onto a stele, a pillar-like stone. The multiple steles, he created and placed around the kingdom, consisted of a carving of him with Shamash, the god of justice, a prologue, the written laws and an epilogue (doc A).

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Each type of code is meant to bring justice to all the parts of society so that there would be fairness to the accused, fairness to the victim and fairness for society. Some of Hammurabi’s codes were fair and others were not fair. The first law is Family Law and it states that If a son has struck his father, his hands shall

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The Code of Hammurabi were laws in ancient Mesopotamia, established by King Hammurabi during his reign between 1792-1750 B.C. The Mesopotamians believed the idea of divine kingship, in which kings were chosen by the gods to rule over the nation. Therefore, kings were high and superior in their eyes. Mesopotamians obeyed their rulers and their laws, including the Code of Hammurabi. These laws were considered divine order. The Code of Hammurabi showed the daily life of ancient

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The Code of Hammurabi was written by King Hammurabi and were the first set of laws to ever be created. Hammurabi created 282 laws, that set standards in his empire and in ancient Mesopotamia. Hammurabi made it clear that the laws were not only to equalize society but also establish fairness and also protect the weak from the strong. However, according to the laws, the punishment for men, women, rich, and the poor, were all different; leading that he made the laws unfair. The women of Mesopotamia had a series of laws where it clearly shows they were classified as property.

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Hammurabi's code and the modern laws have several similarities and differences. For example, they are both intended to maintain order in society. However, Hammurabi’s code is far more violent than modern law. Also, they have different ways of handling things, different punishments, and different social structure. One way that Hammurabi’s Code and the Modern Laws are different is because Hammurabi’s Code is strictly based on social structure.

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Funk and Wagnall New World Encyclopedia wrote, “The basis of criminal law is that of equal retaliation, comparable to the Semitic law of ‘an eye for an eye’”(“Hammurabi, Code of” 1). Hammurabi was the first to make the law code meaning he was the first to start the foundation for our law system today. He was the father of law and today his justice code is still apparent today. The code of Hammurabi was designed to protect the weak, which includes: women, children and slaves. Funk and Wagnall wrote, “It seeks to protect the weak and the poor, including women, children, and slaves, against injustice at the hands of the rich and powerful”(Hammurabi, Code of” 1).

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