Throughout history, there has been several examples of shifts within the political and economic structures of early era societies. Such shifts are viewed in the Babylonian society under Hammurabi, the Athenian society under Solon as their lawgiver, and, lastly, in the Roman society with the plebeians. The Code of Hammurabi, Solon’s reforms, and the Twelve Tables shared several similarities as well as differences when addressing the issues of class divisions and social hierarchy. Each of them implemented a social stratification alongside several other distinctive standards on their individual societies to create a peaceful balance. In fact, the elements of socioeconomic status are the prime factors that created this social hierarchy. Some of
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He is known for achieving success in literature, progress in math and architecture, and an aggressive expansion in the Babylonian Empire. In 1780 B.C., he published the Code of Hammurabi that was received by the god of justice, Shamash, enlisting 282 laws and standards which were later discovered in 1898. The code of laws is one of the earliest surviving laws in history that was created to unify and secure the Babylonian Empire by setting standards that inhabited moral values, class structure, and gender relationships for all citizens to live by with peace. Hammurabi’s code became the earliest example of the law of retaliation and the principle of an “eye for an eye”. Written in many of the codes, were punishments that were applicable to all classes, although, the level of intensity varied among the status of the perpetrator and victim. This made it clear that there existed a sense of class division where the wealthy was favored over the poor. For example, in codes 200 and 201, if a seignior (freed or upper class man) knocks out a tooth of anyone of his own rank the victim shall knock out the tooth of his perpetrator. However, if the victim was a commoner, the seignior must pay one-third mina of silver. There are several similar codes that shed light on the unjust treatment of the highly favored seigniors, aristocrats and merchants towards the commoners, farmers, and …show more content…
In table 11, it states that “intermarriage shall not take place between plebeians and patricians”. This principle was established to “guarantee religious purity and traditional practices” considering the fact that intermarriage could possibly grant plebeians some of the high standards placed over the patricians due to marital bondage (Raaflaub 151). An idea that negates the Roman culture, being that ancient Rome was a highly religious society where success was a result of maintaining good relations with the gods (Crystalinks). Age, also, took a vital role in the laws of the Twelve Tables. Along with the treatment of slaves and freed man, table 8 describes the punishments given to adults in oppose to minors for the same crime. Table 8 emphasizes that if an adult malefactor impedes upon someone else’s crops, he is punished with death, however if the offender is under the age of puberty he shall be scourged or be charged an increased fine. We could see that the age of an offender could influence the level of punishment that is placed upon them, where as in Code 195 of Hammurabi, if a son strikes his father his hand will immediately be cut off. Although the punishment given by the Twelve Tables seems less harsh, due to separate beliefs and morals, there is a similarity in the level of acceptable punishments for
He is known for achieving success in literature, progress in math and architecture, and an aggressive expansion in the Babylonian Empire. In 1780 B.C., he published the Code of Hammurabi that was received by the god of justice, Shamash, enlisting 282 laws and standards which were later discovered in 1898. The code of laws is one of the earliest surviving laws in history that was created to unify and secure the Babylonian Empire by setting standards that inhabited moral values, class structure, and gender relationships for all citizens to live by with peace. Hammurabi’s code became the earliest example of the law of retaliation and the principle of an “eye for an eye”. Written in many of the codes, were punishments that were applicable to all classes, although, the level of intensity varied among the status of the perpetrator and victim. This made it clear that there existed a sense of class division where the wealthy was favored over the poor. For example, in codes 200 and 201, if a seignior (freed or upper class man) knocks out a tooth of anyone of his own rank the victim shall knock out the tooth of his perpetrator. However, if the victim was a commoner, the seignior must pay one-third mina of silver. There are several similar codes that shed light on the unjust treatment of the highly favored seigniors, aristocrats and merchants towards the commoners, farmers, and …show more content…
In table 11, it states that “intermarriage shall not take place between plebeians and patricians”. This principle was established to “guarantee religious purity and traditional practices” considering the fact that intermarriage could possibly grant plebeians some of the high standards placed over the patricians due to marital bondage (Raaflaub 151). An idea that negates the Roman culture, being that ancient Rome was a highly religious society where success was a result of maintaining good relations with the gods (Crystalinks). Age, also, took a vital role in the laws of the Twelve Tables. Along with the treatment of slaves and freed man, table 8 describes the punishments given to adults in oppose to minors for the same crime. Table 8 emphasizes that if an adult malefactor impedes upon someone else’s crops, he is punished with death, however if the offender is under the age of puberty he shall be scourged or be charged an increased fine. We could see that the age of an offender could influence the level of punishment that is placed upon them, where as in Code 195 of Hammurabi, if a son strikes his father his hand will immediately be cut off. Although the punishment given by the Twelve Tables seems less harsh, due to separate beliefs and morals, there is a similarity in the level of acceptable punishments for