The Code of Hammurabi and Ancient Babylonian Empire

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Laws play a major role in the expansion of a nation. King Hammurabi managed to arrange one of the first best conserved set of laws from ancient Babylonian times. The Code of Hammurabi was recorded on a block of basalt stone tablet standing eight feet high and written in cuneiform. The laws consisted of 282 provisions arranged under a variety of subjects ranging from family and personal property to trade and business. These laws established consequences with the philosophy that the punishment should fit the crime.

King Hammurabi was the first ruler of the Babylonian empire from the 1792 B.C. to 1750 B.C. era. After thirty years as ruler, he became involved in many military campaigns to gain control over most of Mesopotamia and the surrounding areas. These invasions provided Hammurabi tremendous political control which led to the establishment of a centralized government in Babylon. Babylon had reached a height in its cultural civilization and political power. His government managed national defense, justice policies, agricultural production, and collection of taxes.

Throughout history, many civilizations have endured through a system of social, political, religious, and economic laws and rituals. Most of these laws and rituals were set up as procedures for moral behavior, family life, education, government, and business. Law codes were regarded as a subject for prayer. However, to truly gain an understanding of Mesopotamia in the 17th Century BC, we should take a closer glance at the penalties rather than the laws themselves.

There is a lot about Babylonian society that can be learned through reading the Code of Hammurabi. In the very least, the document itself and the materials used to produce it tell how advanced ...

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... for debt, or sell them. Daughters would be dedicated to the service of a god or be given as a concubine – a woman that cohabits with a man without being legally married to him. This gave the woman few legal rights and low social status.

The wealth of Mesopotamia and its location made it attractive for neighboring peoples, and its lack of mountains made it fairly difficult to protect against invaders. The result was numerous invasions throughout history, and many times foreign warlords replaced the existing rulers. Few dynasties lasted more than a few hundred years.

Hammurabi spent a great deal of time deciding what rules where necessary to impose order and remain in line with his religion. These laws were a form of protection to the citizens as well as the governing authority. The code of law provided consistent justice and covered many aspects of daily life.

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