1. To provide good order of society and the basic welfare of his subjects, Hammurabi established a collection of laws which he inscribed on a stone pillar, or stele. This detailed legal code was named the Code of Hammurabi, or Hammurabi’s Code. Hammurabi compiled decisions or misharum (equity rulings) that the king made in response to specific cases and perceived injustices. His judgements, covering a wide variety of crimes and circumstances, allowed Hammurabi to replace Mesopotamia’s characteristic sense of insecurity and uncertainty with order and justice. As a result, the evil and wicked were “destroyed” or punished. Punishments included large payments, injury or even death.
2. In Hammurabi’s Code, there are multiple references to rules applying specifically to one of the two main class distinctions: upper class and lower class. Those who were ‘free’ or wealthy were part of the upper class, and those who were peasants were part of the lower class. Slaves were titled to specific laws as well. For example, if a man destroyed the eye of another free man or broke the bone of a free man, his own eye or bone would be destroyed. If a man destroyed the eye of a peasant or broke the bone of a peasant, he would pay one mina of silver. If a man destroyed the eye of another man’s slave or broke …show more content…
The status of women in this society was far less than the status of men. Women living in Mesopotamia under Hammurabi’s Code enjoyed minimal protection and liberties. In the case of divorce, women were entitled to their dowries, the silver of the bride-price, silver, and/ or the fields, gardens and properties of a home depending on the circumstances. Also, in the case of imprisonment of women’s husbands, women carried some rights to enter the house of another. However, the punishment for a woman offending a male was significantly worse than if a male had offended a woman. A man might pay a certain price in silver, whereas, a woman would remain a slave in the house of her
2. In Hammurabi’s Code, there are multiple references to rules applying specifically to one of the two main class distinctions: upper class and lower class. Those who were ‘free’ or wealthy were part of the upper class, and those who were peasants were part of the lower class. Slaves were titled to specific laws as well. For example, if a man destroyed the eye of another free man or broke the bone of a free man, his own eye or bone would be destroyed. If a man destroyed the eye of a peasant or broke the bone of a peasant, he would pay one mina of silver. If a man destroyed the eye of another man’s slave or broke …show more content…
The status of women in this society was far less than the status of men. Women living in Mesopotamia under Hammurabi’s Code enjoyed minimal protection and liberties. In the case of divorce, women were entitled to their dowries, the silver of the bride-price, silver, and/ or the fields, gardens and properties of a home depending on the circumstances. Also, in the case of imprisonment of women’s husbands, women carried some rights to enter the house of another. However, the punishment for a woman offending a male was significantly worse than if a male had offended a woman. A man might pay a certain price in silver, whereas, a woman would remain a slave in the house of her