Hammurabi Women

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The Code of Hammurabi is an ancient Babylonian law code. It was written on clay tablets and stone steles (stone pillars). It was called the Code of Hammurabi after the Babylonian ruler Hammurabi. The code was discovered by a French archaeologist in 1901, it is one of the oldest deciphered writings in the world. The Code of Hammurabi has over 200 individual laws which cover areas such as divorce, inheritance, matters of contracts and liability. Understanding these codes provide insight into Babylonian society and their sense of justice. The Babylonian society was the first to give basic rights specifically to women. Right such as divorce and ownership of land are just some of the many rights that the Code of Hammurabi offered women. The Code …show more content…

The modern concept of Alimony has its roots in these laws. This division of wealth is to allows the women to adequately take care of her children. In case of a situation when they have not had children the Code of Hammurabi - 138 states " If a man would put away his wife who has not borne him children, he shall give her money to the amount of her marriage settlement and he shall make good to her the dowry which she brought from her father's house and then he may put her away" In case there is no marriage settlement Code of Hammurabi - 139 states " If there were no marriage settlement, he shall give to her one mana of silver for a divorce." Comprehensive laws such as these gave women basic rights. In reference to moral responsibility towards women …show more content…

Codes 211 and 212 further add on this by stating that " If a woman of the free class lose her child by a blow, he shall pay five shekels in money, If this woman die, he shall pay half a mina." In some cases the punishments were even more severe with Slander against a respectable woman was punished by degradation to slavery

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