Hammurabi and His Code Hammurabi

¶ … Hammurabi and His Code Hammurabi was the sixth ruler in the first dynasty of Babylon (2250 B.C.) and his reign lasted for about 50 years. He was a noble soldier and a "god-fearing king" (Harper xii) that had no problem destroying his enemies in order to provide a secure place for his people. He was popular for upholding laws that protecting the weak from the strong and he also passed laws protecting widows and orphans. It is also recorded that he rebuilt cities, restored temples, and reunited his people.

His mot famous claim to fame is the fact that he established the first code of law. This is significant because it reveals Hammurabi's intelligence and power. Hammurabi was the first king to see a solution that was to be the example for many to follow for centuries to come. George Vincent maintains that Hammurabi "set at work influences in jurisprudence which extended far beyond" (Vincent 737) his empire and the borders of Babylon. This, too, demonstrates the importance of Hammurabi's work.

One of the most important aspects of Hammurabi's Code is that it provided understandable standards under which his people lived. These rules and regulations were so popular that they became the basis for economic and social customs throughout Babylon. This is important because knowledge of the law and something for which to refer made it possible for many to not only do business but also plan ahead.

Hammurabi and his code are significant today because they reveal an aspect of society and rules; people need rules in order to maintain a meaningful existence. Hammurabi was able to establish his code because he was a great king and his people admired and respected him. As king, he had influence that most people can only imagine. The Babylonian society was divided into classes. The society was a combination of noblemen, commoners and slaves and the "law did not treat them as equal" (Craig 7).

This very distinction could be what prompted the need for a written code. Hammurabi's Code is divided into such sections as labor, trade, family, and personal property. Historians agree that this appears to be the first time in history that such a code was written in such detail. While there was a distinct class separation taking place during Hammurabi's time, it should be noted that this did not afford punishment of the lower classes.

While some rules and codes certainly seem outdated by today's standards, there were many codes in tact during Hammurabi's time that do not allow the nobles to get away with murder, as it were. In fact, Hammurabi was a great believer in the maxim of an eye for an eye. It is because of such standards, that society took these codes very seriously. One could say that it was society's behavior that prompted such codes and Hammurabi was not afraid to enforce them.

Many believe that the success of the code is in part due to the tone in which they were written. Hammurabi is king but he is not a tyrant or dictator to be feared. Even with such serious ramifications as death, Hammurabi was able to convey his message without people feeling oppressed. This illustrates a general feeling of respect between a king and his people. In fact, in the Code's prologue, we know that justice stems from the king and the gods.

We read, "then Anu and Bel called by name me. To bring about the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers; so that the strong should not harm the weak" (Hammurabi). Here we see one of Hammurabi's most important edicts, which is protecting the weak from the strong. One of the largest sections of Hammurabi's Code focuses on the family and the best ways that a family can protect and maintain itself.

Another large section of the code deals with commerce and from this, the code looks into such issues as debt, interest, and default. What we learn from these sections is that the Babylonian society was one that was somewhat sophisticated and it attempted to deal with issues that improved the quality of life. A healthy commerce is also something that the Babylonians were interested in and they worked on this through specific codes dealing with means of exchange.

This code illustrates the sophisticated ways in which people were able to look at life and business. These examples also demonstrate the government's need to be a part of and offer control of every aspect of life. In a sense, the code is much like the Ten Commandments because it offers advice on not just how to live but how to live a good life. The Babylonian society was one that was built upon a caste system. In many ways, this might seem backwards and archaic to our modern society.

For example, men were free to divorce their wives if they could not conceive. Men were also allowed to divorce if their wives contracted fevers. Additionally, a woman had to be on somewhat of good behavior because if she was a "gadabout" (Hammurabi) and embarrassed or did not care for her husband, she might be punished by being tossed into water. Stockdale notes that while this looks oppressive for women, there were some laws established in the code that protected women from abuse.

For example, restrictions were placed on how women's dowries could be used and the "manner in which divorce can happen all point to the state's recognition that women needed some legal protections from male authority" (Stockdale). This allows us to understand the complexities that the code covers. There was no special group of people. The code tried, at all costs,.