The Ode of Hammurabi

Stacie Carter

Zachary Alexander

Early Western Civilization

4 September 2012

The Code of Hammurabi

It was a time in the world when true areas of civilization began popping up throughout the area. The lush, fertile grounds between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as Mesopotamia, provided the perfect environment to settle as farmers and tradesmen. The creation of villages and more stationary lifestyles allowed these previously nomadic people the opportunity to utilize more intellectual processes, along with the common tasks of physical labor. It appears that this increase in population and cities likely led directly to the creation of The Code of Hammurabi. As in modern times, the more people you have becoming involved in day to day operations, the more apparent it becomes for the need to solidify processes and rules. The desire of Hammurabi to create these laws showed that he was a wise leader who understood the need for order among his people, so that the communities could flourish.

The Mesopotamians were a very religious group of people who believed everything they did was to please and/or appease their gods. Rulers during this time were thought to represent a physical presence for the gods, who were the true rulers of the cities. Hammurabi’s code can then be viewed by the Mesopotamians as the law of the gods. It appears that the code was created to show people the gods’ expectations for them, as well as their fellow citizens.

The classification of a social hierarchy in the code lists less severe punishments for the upper class citizens as compared to the lower class and slaves. On many topics, this is true in today’s world as well. It seems that upper class people tend to get away with a slight slap on the wrist, as opposed to facing the consequences that would be bestowed on the more common man. You would think that after thousands of years this might have changed a little more.

The code of Hammurabi set forth strict guidelines for so many different aspects of day to day life. Everything was outlined; from the rules of marriage and divorce, to stealing, disrespecting elders, and adultery. I was surprised to see such lenient options for adulterous wives, such as pardoning from the husband to abolish punishment on the wife, during these times. The code clearly establishes the fact that women were considered subservient, yet they were afforded a decent amount of rights for this time period.