Hammurabis Code

There were many law codes made from the Ancient Middle East. The most famous one, which survived is the code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi was the sixth king of the Amorite Dynasty of old Babylon in Mesopotamia. His laws are said to be the best preserved legal document reflecting the social structure of Babylon during Hammurabi's rule. Many people recognized him as being an outstanding lawgiver (www.canadianlawsite.com/hammurabiscode.htm).

Hammurabi's goal for bringing about this legal code called "Hammurabi's code" was to basically protect the weak, the poor, the women, children and also the slaves who were not treated fairly. The best way to explain these codes in just a few words would be "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". He believed that anyone who acted dishonest or unjust should be punished. For example, if a man cuts off another man arm in a fight then that man should also loose his arm as well. The codes kept their society in order. It helped the Babylonian Empire stay honest and equal. Hammurabi believed in the people. He wanted the Babylonians to know they could count on him. He also thought it was sincerely important that the citizens of the Babylon Empire could trust and count on their government and always know that the government will protect the honest and loyal individuals.

Two important law codes that Hammurabi developed, that emphasize social fairness in the Babylon Empire are:

"If a builder has build a house for a man, and his work is not strong, and if the house he has build falls in and kills the householder, that builder shall be slain."

If a builder has a build a house for a man and his work is not done properly, and a wall shifts than that builder shall make that wall good with his own silverÐ'..." (www.wsu.edu/~dee/meso/code.htm).

In both two laws we can see that the builder paid for what he did and the householder got what he paid for. If the builders work killed the householder the consequences will be his death; if his work is not as good as what the householder paid him, then he will make it good and use his own money, because it's only fair for the householder to get what he paid for. In these laws Hammurabi's goal is to make sure the people understand how interested he is in keeping justice and honestly in their society. They are both great examples of how important Hammurabi