Historical Laws and Security

“History provides various examples of how the security objective can be met by making use of creative minds, ingenious plans, and readily available tools. Modern society has produced an unprecedented demand for security measures. In 1800, few people would have imagined the need for airport security. As late as the 1950s few people would have predicted the need to protect individuals and financial institutions against ATM fraud. Due in part, perhaps, to technological innovation and the expansion of the global marketplace, security professionals are increasingly being asked to respond to both real and perceived threats. Other security threats emerge alongside social and technological transformations, such as an emerging global economic system, advanced weapons systems, and an economy increasing dependent on computer systems. This will be important to remember when considering the emerging security threats in the modern era. For the modern security professional, particularly since 9/11, innovation is still the name of the game. To be protected, we need to have a good understanding of what it is we need to be protected against” (Fischer and Green, 1998).

The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi was established in 1750 B.C., by King Hammurabi and uncovered in 1901. King Hammurabi was not the first to accomplish this form or style of writings/codes like “an eye for an eye” was first discovered by the Sumerians. While these codes explained much about what went on in the society of ancient Mesopotamian. The early writings were documentations of 282 clauses that governed extensive disposition of “obligations, professions, and rights, including clauses concerning commerce, slavery, marriage, theft, and debts. The punishments are, by modern standards, barbaric. The principles outlined are in the form of lex talionis, or the law of retaliation” (Duhaime, 1994).

Draco’s Law was named after a Greek citizen who was chosen to write the code of law for Athens, in 621 B.C. As he, was the first person to have written the first set of laws for Greece. Duhaime stated that, “These laws are highlighted because they introduce the notion that the state, not private citizens, is responsible for punishing persons accused of crimes.” The punishment for most offences was death and according to Draco’s law, the punishment of death was so severe that even today people consider it to be an unreasonably harsh law.

Originally, in 450 B.C. the Law of the Twelve Tables had 10 laws and the two additional laws were added later on. The Law of the Twelve Tables consisted of 10 Roman men who were given the power to write laws that Roman citizens has to abide by. The formations of the laws within public and private modern foundation were to help protect the lower class from the legal abuse. According to Duhaime (1994), “a basic principle of Roman law was that the law must be written and that justice could not be left in the