Advocating for a kingdom sustained off justice, peace, and order, Hammurabi enacted his code during the First Dynasty of Babylon. While the 300 or so laws may have aimed to standardize the common laws of the city states, many theories surround its actual intended purpose. Having endured millennia, The Code of Hammurabi survives today as a monumental stone. Due to such unparalleled permanence, the code is often perceived as an exemplary model of ancient orderliness. With this glorification considered, it is important to examine what the code genuinely provided for the people of ancient Mesopotamia. In examining the raw text, notable patterns reflect what daily life was like for the people of Babylon and the following essay aims to discuss such patterns so that we may better understand ancient Babylon. Hammurabi contextualizes his code through the prologue and epilogue. He begins by introducing himself and naming his accomplishments which end with “when Marduk sent me to rule over men, to give the protection of right to the land, I did right and righteousness in…, and brought about the
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This would even apply Hammurabi himself as he emphasizes his relationship with the gods in efforts to defend his place as king of kings and “rule over men (2).” The distinction between man, woman, and their respective statures within society, and lastly slaves further highlights the social stratification embedded within the code. While it considers men as a plethora of different rankings it nearly exclusively portrays women as properties defined by the relationships they have with men.
In conclusion, the patterns noted in The Code of Hammurabi reflect that, like other ancient polytheistic empires, the gods played an active and prominent role in the daily governance of every individual in Babylonian
This would even apply Hammurabi himself as he emphasizes his relationship with the gods in efforts to defend his place as king of kings and “rule over men (2).” The distinction between man, woman, and their respective statures within society, and lastly slaves further highlights the social stratification embedded within the code. While it considers men as a plethora of different rankings it nearly exclusively portrays women as properties defined by the relationships they have with men.
In conclusion, the patterns noted in The Code of Hammurabi reflect that, like other ancient polytheistic empires, the gods played an active and prominent role in the daily governance of every individual in Babylonian