mesopotamia

Hammurabi’s code

Zach Piper

About four thousand years ago, somewhere between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers there was an empire known as Mesopotamia. In this essay I will be more focused on the old capital Babylon. Babylon was located in what is now Iraq. The society of Babylon was somewhat complex and sophisticated. Their achievements were many. Some of their most famous achievements are the hanging gardens and Hammurabi’s code. In this dissertation I will be explaining how their laws developed and how their laws affected our current Wisconsin statutes.

In Mesopotamia about four thousand years ago there was a king named Hammurabi. He created the first set of laws that affected an entire nation. The code (which it is now called) set fixed rates for the hiring of boats, oxen, and donkeys. The code freely dishes out death as a punishment but heavy fines were much more common.

The code was a settlement of sorts; as it did not rely on status but treated all people equally. The king had to pay as much for a boat as a muskinu or an ardru. The code also pays respect to women. The code is lex tolionis, meaning eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. A death of debtor’s son meant the death of the creditor’s son.

The laws of Babylon are many. The code states that one must pay one sixtieth of a ships value if he sinks it. It also states that whatever a captain loses he must pay twofold for. If one would lose an ox or a donkey he would pay ¼ of the animal’s worth. Incest was always met with death. In cases of accused witchcraft the ordeal by water was used. This somewhat proves that swimming was an unknown art. A thief who was caught was put to death. An arsonist was thrown into the fire he lit. Were someone to bear false witness to bring punishment on another would receive that same punishment he wished to inflict. The unskilled doctor who caused loss of life or limb had his hands cut off. These laws would affect things like honesty. One who was dishonest would be executed.

Our current Wisconsin statutes are not as harsh as the laws of old Babylon. For theft you will not get capital punishment but, depending on what you steal you could get ten years. Unlike now, in Babylon you could not get a speeding ticket. Our laws descended from the laws of Babylon like almost all other societies. The more people evolved the more the laws changed. Though our laws are not perfect, they are better than that of four thousand years ago.

In conclusion, the code was a great thing. It allowed an entire country peace from within. The code allowed us to become the great country we are today. This is the achievement of Babylon. I have made the comparison and I have a lot more respect for Babylon. I leave the rest up to you.