Justice was birthed by civilization, its creation an integral means of order to the dishonesty of the human race. Civilizations have thrived due to rules and regulations since the evolution of man; when justice was applied as a solution to strife, laws resolved these situations. To which degree of equality under justice were these circumstances resolved is another matter in itself. The modern judicial system initiates investigations that are aware of external factors in order to deal out the correct measure of punishment to each respective party. However around 1795-1750 BC (and until its fall two centuries later) the small city state of Babylonia was ruled by inflexible laws. There was an inability to recognize the concepts of human error
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To this day, its 282 codes have been preserved, many of which are based on the judicial principle of Lex Talionios; the law of retaliation. If the statute had been true to this concept, an “eye for an eye” mentality would have been present in the codes. However, because a nobleman in ancient Mesopotamia had privileges and responsibilities, he also had “ the right to exact retaliation for corporal injuries” which resulted in social inequity. (fordham) Law 202 states “If a man strikes the cheek of a (free) man who is superior in rank to himself, he shall be beaten with sixty strokes with a whip of ox-hide in the assembly.” (packet) Consequently, the victim's justice and its outcome depended on his social class. If the victim was a slave, money would be given instead of equal retaliation. In order to receive justice, one had to have been of aristocratic …show more content…
The weather, for instance, was seen as a reaction from the gods that in turn determined the victims fate. Code 2 “If a man has charged a man with sorcery and then has not proved (it against) him, he who is charged with the sorcery shall go to the holy river. .. and if the river overwhelms him, his accuser shall take and keep his house...if he comes back safe, he who has charged him will be put to death; he who leapt into the holy river shall take and keep the house of his accuser.” However, individuals during this time didn’t know how to swim because of the gods connection to the holy river Eupherates. Many feared this river and wouldn’t dare to go near it because it’s holiness. There were also other factors that should have been accounted for, such as frail body and health. It was luck that allowed a innocent or guilty individual to
To this day, its 282 codes have been preserved, many of which are based on the judicial principle of Lex Talionios; the law of retaliation. If the statute had been true to this concept, an “eye for an eye” mentality would have been present in the codes. However, because a nobleman in ancient Mesopotamia had privileges and responsibilities, he also had “ the right to exact retaliation for corporal injuries” which resulted in social inequity. (fordham) Law 202 states “If a man strikes the cheek of a (free) man who is superior in rank to himself, he shall be beaten with sixty strokes with a whip of ox-hide in the assembly.” (packet) Consequently, the victim's justice and its outcome depended on his social class. If the victim was a slave, money would be given instead of equal retaliation. In order to receive justice, one had to have been of aristocratic …show more content…
The weather, for instance, was seen as a reaction from the gods that in turn determined the victims fate. Code 2 “If a man has charged a man with sorcery and then has not proved (it against) him, he who is charged with the sorcery shall go to the holy river. .. and if the river overwhelms him, his accuser shall take and keep his house...if he comes back safe, he who has charged him will be put to death; he who leapt into the holy river shall take and keep the house of his accuser.” However, individuals during this time didn’t know how to swim because of the gods connection to the holy river Eupherates. Many feared this river and wouldn’t dare to go near it because it’s holiness. There were also other factors that should have been accounted for, such as frail body and health. It was luck that allowed a innocent or guilty individual to