W1: Was Hammurabi justified in implementing his code?
Use specific facts
from informational text to justify your opinion. Do you think his code would be
just today? Explain your answer.
Was Hammurabi Justified in
implementing his code?
Facts
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Do you think his code would be
just today?
Reasons why
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.
Now put it all together. Answer the question at the top of the
page in paragraph form. The minimum response is two
paragraphs, but you may need more. Make sure you have formed
an opinion that supports your claim with facts from the
reading and information you have learned from unit III.
Hammurabi
1792 – 1750 B.C.
Babylonian king who set down first written code of laws
Hammurabi, first ruler of the Babylonian empire, holds the claim of restoring
order and justice to Mesopotamia. Although Hammurabi did conquer other citystates to expand his empire, he let the rulers of the cities-states live and justly
ruled the people with fair laws. Hammurabi wanted his subjects to obey him
because they liked him and believed he made just, fair laws and not because they
were apprehensive of his formidable military.
2
In about 1786 B.C. he wrote 282 laws governing family, criminal punishment,
civil law, ethics, business, prices, trade, and every other aspect of ancient life
known as “the Code of Hammurabi” which he set up where everyone could read
them.
3
No one had ever set up a code of law to this extent before even though there
had been several attempts over the previous 400 years. Introducing this early
form of law, he boasted of his purpose: “to promote the welfare of the people, I,
Hammurabi, the devout, god-fearing prince, cause justice to prevail in the land by
destroying the wicked and the evil, that the strong might not oppress the weak.”
4
Although Hammurabi had right motives for producing these laws that he
believed Marduk, the chief god of Babylon, had given him the commission to
write, many of the laws seemed strict, harsh and, cruel. Two examples of the
severity and harshness of some of the punishments for lawbreaking follow: “If a
son strikes his father, they shall cut off his forehand.” “If any one steals the minor
son of another, he shall be put to death.”
5
Some laws favored the people with a higher social status although they did
attempt to provide justice for every class. For example: “If a man strikes the cheek
of a freeman who is superior in rank to himself, he shall be beaten with 60 stripes
with a whip of ox-hide in the assembly.