The Code of Hammurabi: A Synthesis of Mesopotamian Law

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on the Code of Hammurabi, focusing on its laws and principles.

Code of Hammurabi

One of the most significant legal documents of the ancient world, inscribed on a diorite stela.

Seignior

An aristocrat or free man of standing in ancient Mesopotamian society.

Lex Talionis

The principle of retribution, commonly expressed as 'an eye for an eye', applied strictly among social equals in Hammurabi's code.

Trial by Ordeal

A method of justice where an accused person undergoes a trial to prove innocence, typically by physical tests.

Collective Responsibility

A legal obligation in Hammurabi's code where a city or governor had to compensate victims if a crime was not solved.

Divine Judgment

The belief that justice was administered in the presence of the gods, which was integral to the legal processes.

Judicial Integrity

A core legal principle that penalized judges for altering sealed judgments.

Interest Rates

Legal maximum limits set by the state for charging interest on loans, specified in Hammurabi's code.

Debt Bondage

A form of servitude in which a debtor's family member can work off a debt, limited to three years in Hammurabi's laws.

Adultery Punishment

Under Hammurabi's code, a wife found guilty of adultery faced severe penalties, including death by drowning.

Inheritance Rights

Complex legal provisions in Hammurabi's code that defined a widow's and daughters' rights to inheritance.

Professional Liability

The accountability professionals had under the code, facing severe punishments for malpractice.

Sale-Adoption

A legal practice from Nuzi that allowed land sale through the adoption of the buyer into the seller's family.

Code of Hammurabi

One of the most significant legal documents of the ancient world, inscribed on a diorite stela.

Seignior

An aristocrat or free man of standing in ancient Mesopotamian society.

Lex Talionis

The principle of retribution, commonly expressed as 'an eye for an eye', applied strictly among social equals in Hammurabi's code.

Trial by Ordeal

A method of justice where an accused person undergoes a trial to prove innocence, typically by physical tests.

Collective Responsibility

A legal obligation in Hammurabi's code where a city or governor had to compensate victims if a crime was not solved.

Divine Judgment

The belief that justice was administered in the presence of the gods, which was integral to the legal processes.

Judicial Integrity

A core legal principle that penalized judges for altering sealed judgments.

Interest Rates

Legal maximum limits set by the state for charging interest on loans, specified in Hammurabi's code.

Debt Bondage

A form of servitude in which a debtor's family member can work off a debt, limited to three years in Hammurabi's laws.

Adultery Punishment

Under Hammurabi's code, a wife found guilty of adultery faced severe penalties, including death by drowning.

Inheritance Rights

Complex legal provisions in Hammurabi's code that defined a widow's and daughters' rights to inheritance.

Professional Liability

The accountability professionals had under the code, facing severe punishments for malpractice.

Sale-Adoption

A legal practice from Nuzi that allowed land sale through the adoption of the buyer into the seller's family.

Structure of Hammurabi's Code

Divided into a prologue, 282 specific laws, and an epilogue, reflecting the king's divine mandate and the code's application.

Mushkenum

A social class in ancient Babylonia referring to commoners or 'dependents,' with legal standing below a seignior but above slaves, facing different legal stipulations.

Awedum (Slave)

Indicates a slave in Babylonian society, treated as property but afforded some specific legal protections and regulations under Hammurabi's Code.

Codification of Laws

The systematic process of collecting and arranging laws into a code, as Hammurabi did, to provide a unified and publicly accessible legal framework.

Cuneiform Script

The wedge-shaped writing system used by ancient Mesopotamians to inscribe the Code of Hammurabi on stone stelae.

What did Hammurabi's Code emphasize regarding social stratification?

It strongly emphasized social hierarchy by applying different laws and penalties based on a person's social standing, distinguishing between seigniors, commoners (mushkenu), and slaves (awedum).

What was a key emphasis of Hammurabi's Code regarding the authority of law?

It emphasized the king's divine mandate to establish justice, standardizing laws and making them publicly accessible to ensure order and enforce a unified legal system across the kingdom.

Beyond criminal justice, what did Hammurabi's Code heavily emphasize?

It placed strong emphasis on the protection of property rights, the regulation of economic activities, and professional accountability to maintain stability and prevent abuses within society.