Hammurabi Hierarchy
The Code of Hammurabi was written by King Hammurabi, who had begun ruling the Babylonian Empire in 1800 BC. Hammurabi used his military leadership skills to conquer many smaller city-states. He believed that the Gods chose him to bring justice and order to his people. Shortly after Hammurabi’s rise in power he created his code of laws known as “The Code of Hammurabi”, which were written to upheld honesty, protect property rights, maintain social hierarchy and define all relationships and aspects of life. The laws were publicly displayed so that everyone would have the equal opportunity to understand and study them. The laws were expected to be followed by everyone. The punishment for breaking the laws were very severe, however they aided in the compliance of the citizens of the Mesopotamian society. Based on the way that these codes were written, Hammurabi assumed that everyone in the kingdom had the same values and morals that
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he does. He writes them as if everyone agrees with him and he leaves no room for the members of his society to disagree with him. Hammurabi also believes that the punishment he gives will be enough to prevent crimes and repeat offenders. The Code of Hammurabi stands out because it was one of the harshest laws in its time. A lot can be learned about the Babylonian society through reading the Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi felt that his laws helped promote the welfare of the land, have good government and give justice to the oppressed. An important topic in this code was honesty. Lying or making false accusations against another person brought a great deal of punishment. For instance, if a seignior pointed the finger at a nun or the wife of a(nother) seignior, but has proved nothing, they shall drag that seignior into the presence of the judges and also cut off half his (hair) . Although this punishment is not that severe, making false accusations is a form of dishonesty under the laws of Hammurabi, and a person shall be punished for it by many different ways, but shaving their head is just one of many. The code covers many more crimes such as cheating, stealing and many laws about property. Property rights were a very important aspect of the Babylonian society and the punishments for breaking the property laws were both expensive and beneficial. There were specific rules for slaves, homes, inheritance and personal property. For example, if a seignior struck a(nother) seignior’s daughter and has caused her to have a miscarriage, he shall pay ten shekels of silver for her fetus. Hammurabi assumed that if a person paid ten shekels of silver for the loss of a fetus, the lost would not be a lost, it would be a financial gain. Even though this may sound wrong, Hammurabi’s code was very effective and it showed how their society worked and operated in their day and time. Maintaining social hierarchy was another important aspect in Hammurabi’s codes.
Hammurabi made it very known of the class structure that he had, and the code was created with a certain structure in mind. The authority to mandate more severe punishments was given to the upper class people of the Mesopotamian society, however, they did receive harsher punishments if they broke the laws of the code of Hammurabi also. In addition, the middle class did not receive as much punishment or had to pay as much money for breaking the laws than any other class. The middle class civilians of the Babylonian society were not allowed to speak freely about religion, but more so they had to give money to the people they hurt and injured. For example, if a seignior struck the cheek of a member of the aristocracy, they shall cut off his ear. Since a slave has no money and is not as wealthy as the average upper class or middle class citizen, it made sense in Hammurabi’s thinking for them to sacrifice their body parts because they have nothing else to offer
.
Since a normal human being only has two ears, when a slave cuts off one of their ears, Hammurabi had to start thinking of alternate forms of punishments. In a way Hammurabi had to be very creative in this period so that every person under his laws could understand and not want to disobey them. Similarly, if a slave were to cut off the other ear they could not hear, so Hammurabi also used forms of punishments for slaves such as being put to death. Although slaves were allowed to do business, own their own property, and purchase their freedom, they were treated a little more than property. Slaves punishments however were still much more severe than other individuals of the Mesopotamian society under The Code of Hammurabi.
In Hammurabi’s codes he defined all relationships and aspects of life in many ways. Hammurabi controlled the consequences of a seignior’s wife cheating, if a women hated her husband, if a seignior was taken captive, if a seignior deserted his city and if a seignior destroyed the eye of a seignior’s slave. In a way Hammurabi’s code back then was “tic for tac” or as we know “an eye for an eye”. His laws were set up in a way so that no one person can feel more powerful than another being especially a slave. Hammurabi was very systematic in making his laws and he chose certain consequences to be harsher than others based on the crime that person committed. His method of structure was very successful around his time and was instilled to keep the peace in his kingdom while he was in rule. So, controlling the relationships and aspects of life in and around his kingdom was very logical for him to do.
The Code of Hammurabi is still being studied today by students and historians. His code was very helpful during his time period because it maintained social order, protected property rights, upheld honesty and controlled all relationships and every aspect of life within and around the kingdom. Although Hammurabi’s laws were very severe they set the standards of conduct and justice for his empire in Mesopotamia and the fines and punishments met the requirements of justice. His law codes were a model for other cultures and people today thought of his code as the source that influenced the laws set down by Hebrew scribes. Despite whether or not the code was too severe, Hammurabi’s laws kept peace and helped maintain societal structure throughout the Mesopotamian society and in the Babylonian Empire which was very beneficial in his time period and historians and students today are very grateful to have been able to learn about his historic contributions to the beginnings of civilization and law.
he does. He writes them as if everyone agrees with him and he leaves no room for the members of his society to disagree with him. Hammurabi also believes that the punishment he gives will be enough to prevent crimes and repeat offenders. The Code of Hammurabi stands out because it was one of the harshest laws in its time. A lot can be learned about the Babylonian society through reading the Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi felt that his laws helped promote the welfare of the land, have good government and give justice to the oppressed. An important topic in this code was honesty. Lying or making false accusations against another person brought a great deal of punishment. For instance, if a seignior pointed the finger at a nun or the wife of a(nother) seignior, but has proved nothing, they shall drag that seignior into the presence of the judges and also cut off half his (hair) . Although this punishment is not that severe, making false accusations is a form of dishonesty under the laws of Hammurabi, and a person shall be punished for it by many different ways, but shaving their head is just one of many. The code covers many more crimes such as cheating, stealing and many laws about property. Property rights were a very important aspect of the Babylonian society and the punishments for breaking the property laws were both expensive and beneficial. There were specific rules for slaves, homes, inheritance and personal property. For example, if a seignior struck a(nother) seignior’s daughter and has caused her to have a miscarriage, he shall pay ten shekels of silver for her fetus. Hammurabi assumed that if a person paid ten shekels of silver for the loss of a fetus, the lost would not be a lost, it would be a financial gain. Even though this may sound wrong, Hammurabi’s code was very effective and it showed how their society worked and operated in their day and time. Maintaining social hierarchy was another important aspect in Hammurabi’s codes.
Hammurabi made it very known of the class structure that he had, and the code was created with a certain structure in mind. The authority to mandate more severe punishments was given to the upper class people of the Mesopotamian society, however, they did receive harsher punishments if they broke the laws of the code of Hammurabi also. In addition, the middle class did not receive as much punishment or had to pay as much money for breaking the laws than any other class. The middle class civilians of the Babylonian society were not allowed to speak freely about religion, but more so they had to give money to the people they hurt and injured. For example, if a seignior struck the cheek of a member of the aristocracy, they shall cut off his ear. Since a slave has no money and is not as wealthy as the average upper class or middle class citizen, it made sense in Hammurabi’s thinking for them to sacrifice their body parts because they have nothing else to offer
.
Since a normal human being only has two ears, when a slave cuts off one of their ears, Hammurabi had to start thinking of alternate forms of punishments. In a way Hammurabi had to be very creative in this period so that every person under his laws could understand and not want to disobey them. Similarly, if a slave were to cut off the other ear they could not hear, so Hammurabi also used forms of punishments for slaves such as being put to death. Although slaves were allowed to do business, own their own property, and purchase their freedom, they were treated a little more than property. Slaves punishments however were still much more severe than other individuals of the Mesopotamian society under The Code of Hammurabi.
In Hammurabi’s codes he defined all relationships and aspects of life in many ways. Hammurabi controlled the consequences of a seignior’s wife cheating, if a women hated her husband, if a seignior was taken captive, if a seignior deserted his city and if a seignior destroyed the eye of a seignior’s slave. In a way Hammurabi’s code back then was “tic for tac” or as we know “an eye for an eye”. His laws were set up in a way so that no one person can feel more powerful than another being especially a slave. Hammurabi was very systematic in making his laws and he chose certain consequences to be harsher than others based on the crime that person committed. His method of structure was very successful around his time and was instilled to keep the peace in his kingdom while he was in rule. So, controlling the relationships and aspects of life in and around his kingdom was very logical for him to do.
The Code of Hammurabi is still being studied today by students and historians. His code was very helpful during his time period because it maintained social order, protected property rights, upheld honesty and controlled all relationships and every aspect of life within and around the kingdom. Although Hammurabi’s laws were very severe they set the standards of conduct and justice for his empire in Mesopotamia and the fines and punishments met the requirements of justice. His law codes were a model for other cultures and people today thought of his code as the source that influenced the laws set down by Hebrew scribes. Despite whether or not the code was too severe, Hammurabi’s laws kept peace and helped maintain societal structure throughout the Mesopotamian society and in the Babylonian Empire which was very beneficial in his time period and historians and students today are very grateful to have been able to learn about his historic contributions to the beginnings of civilization and law.