Cuneiform law

Cuneiform law

Cuneiform law refers to any of the legal codes written in cuneiform script, that were developed and used throughout the ancient Middle East among the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Elamites, Hurrians, Kassites, and Hittites.[1] The Code of Hammurabi is the most well-known of the cuneiform laws, but there were a number of precursor laws.[1]

Contents

Features

Although they were written in several different cities and kingdoms, these early laws have a number of formulas in common. Most contain both an epilogue and a prologue, which usually explain the purpose of composing the laws, invoke divine authority, and command the reader to abide by them. They are always imposed or 'enacted' in the name of a ruler, be it a prince or king, and show no sign of being the result of legislative bodies.

While many of these codes are only partially known, they nevertheless paint a fairly clear picture that enables us to learn what issues pertaining to rules were considered significant by the societies they governed in the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st millennia BC.

Unlike modern codes, Cuneiform law provides no universal formula for general areas of law. Rather, laws typically consist of specific "if... then..." cases that are meant to act as an example or precedent. Punishments for crimes vary from code to code, but not all prescribe vengeance. Some call only for fines in certain instances, such as in the Code of Ur-Nammu, where one line reads: "If a man knocks out the eye of another man, he shall weigh out one-half a mina of silver." These cases are sometimes arranged in a seemingly random order, though this may be the result of an inability to properly interpret them today as they would have been at the time they were in force.[2]

Cuneiform law is generally classified separately from later Middle Eastern law,[2] but has been viewed as a predecessor of Biblical and Jewish law. The communities of the Middle East that made use of cuneiform law were generally all in contact with one another, and developed similar cultures. Akkadian, a cuneiform language, was used throughout the entire area, and even as far as Egypt, for diplomatic communications during the Amarna Period.

Timeline

  • ca. 2350 BC - Reforms of Urukagina of Lagash - not extant, but "known" through other sources.
  • ca. 2060 BC - Code of Ur-Nammu (or Shulgi?) of Ur - Neo-Sumerian (Ur-III). Earliest code of which fragments have been discovered. The code speaks of witchcraft and the flight of slaves.
  • ca. 1934-1924 BC - Code of Lipit-Ishtar of Isin - With a typical epilogue and prologue, the law deals with penalties, the rights of man, right of kings, marriages, and more.
  • ca. 1800 BC - Laws of the city of Eshnunna (sometimes ascribed to king Bilalama)
  • ca. 1758 BC - Code of Hammurabi - The most famous, and also the most preserved of the ancient laws. Discovered in December 1901, it contains over 282 paragraphs of text, not including the prologue and epilogue.
  • ca. 1500-1300 BC - Assyrian law
  • ca. 1500-1400 BC - Hittite laws[2]

Gallery

  • An inscription of the Code of Hammurabi.

  • Code of Hammurabi.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Cuneiform law - Encyclopedia.com
  2. ^ a b c Cuneiform law - Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Portal icon Law portal
Portal icon Ancient Near East portal

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • cuneiform law — Body of laws revealed by documents written in cuneiform script (see cuneiform writing). It includes the laws of the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Elamites, Hurrians, Kassites, and Hittites. Unlike modern legal codes, these ancient codes do… …   Universalium

  • Law — /law/, n. 1. Andrew Bonar /bon euhr/, 1858 1923, English statesman, born in Canada: prime minister 1922 23. 2. John, 1671 1729, Scottish financier. 3. William, 1686 1761, English clergyman and devotional writer. * * * I Discipline and profession… …   Universalium

  • law — law1 lawlike, adj. /law/, n. 1. the principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or of custom and policies recognized and enforced by judicial decision. 2 …   Universalium

  • cuneiform — /kyooh nee euh fawrm , kyooh nee euh /, adj. 1. having the form of a wedge; wedge shaped. 2. composed of slim triangular or wedge shaped elements, as the characters used in writing by the ancient Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and… …   Universalium

  • Babylonian law — Archaeological material for the study of Babylonian law is singularly extensive. So called contracts exist in the thousands, including a great variety of deeds, conveyances, bonds, receipts, accounts, and most important of all, actual legal… …   Wikipedia

  • MESOPOTAMIA — The original article in the first edition of the Encyclopaedia Judaica traced Mesopotamian history to its earliest beginnings and provided a detailed survey of Mesopotamian literature and institutions. With the availability of such tools as J.… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Mesopotamia, history of — ▪ historical region, Asia Introduction  history of the region in southwestern Asia where the world s earliest civilization developed. The name comes from a Greek word meaning “between rivers,” referring to the land between the Tigris and… …   Universalium

  • epigraphy — epigraphist, epigrapher, n. /i pig reuh fee/, n. 1. the study or science of epigraphs or inscriptions, esp. of ancient inscriptions. 2. inscriptions collectively. [1850 55; EPIGRAPH + Y3] * * * ▪ historiography Introduction  the study of written… …   Universalium

  • BOOK OF THE COVENANT — (Heb. Sefer ha Berit), name derived from Exodus 24:7 ( And he took the book of the covenant, and read it aloud to the people.… ), and usually taken to refer to the legal, moral, and cultic corpus of literature found in Exodus 20:22–23:33. This… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Chronology of the ancient Near East — See short chronology for a timeline in absolute dates. The ancient Near East Regions and States Mesopotamia • Akkadian Empire • Assyria • Babylonia • Neo Assyrian Empire • Neo Babylonian Emp …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”