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Laws can tell us many important things about a society such as values, beliefs, and
norms. The first leader to write down and codify a set of laws was Hammurabi.
Hammurabi created The Code of Hammurabi. This tells us many things about the life of
people in Mesopotamia. Hammurabi's code shows us that life in Mesopotamia was very
difficult and unjust for the majority of the population (anyone that was not very wealthy).
This is shown in the laws referring to professional standards, class structure and the
nature of punishments. These three factors all come into play when looking at the
difficult life of the people that lived in Mesopotamia.
The laws regarding professional standards are very strict and do not allow for accidental
causes. If a surgeon operated with the bronze lancet on a patrician for serious injury, and
causes death, or has removed a cataract for a patrician, with the bronze lance, and has
made him loose his eyes, his hands shall be cut off (#218). This law displays the high
standards for a physician in Mesopotamia. These standards do not allow for accident and
make life for a surgeon very difficult especially in a time when surgery wasn't advanced
and precise as it is with modern technology. Another example of this would be if a
barber, without the knowledge of his master, cut the sign of a slave on a slave not to be
sold, the hands of this barber shall be cut off (#226). The hands of a barber are his
livelihood and the laws do not allow for a person to learn from their mistakes. By taking
away the livelihood of someone on their first offence makes the society a very difficult
place for people of that time.
Class structure as displayed in the laws of Hammurabi make life very difficult and unjust
for citizens except the extremely wealthy ones. An example of this would be if any one
strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an oxwhip in public but on the other side if a free-born man strike the body of another freeborn man of equal rank, he shall play one gold mina. (#202 " #203). When people were
treated with less rights and freedoms because they were, a slave or not wealthy, it made
for a very difficult life. Punishments were handed out not based on the severity of the act
or conditions under which it took place but based on class structure. Under this treatment
it greatly decreased the quality of life.
The nature of the very harsh and strict punishments made life under the code of
Hammurabi very difficult for citizens of Mesopotamia. Serious punishments were given
out for minor crimes such as if a slave has said to his master. "You are not my master,"
he shall be brought to account as his slave, and his master shall cut off his ear (#282).
This may be a minor offence but since the slave is not wealthy the strict punishment is
enforced making life very hard and strenuous. Another example of this strict nature of
punishment is if a son has struck his father, his hands shall be cut off (#195). This
punishment is very harsh and the circumstances are not considered before the livelihood
of the person is taken away (his hands). The nature of the punishment tells us a lot about
the difficulties and injustices many people faced under The Code of Hammurabi. In many
modern civilizations circumstances and other factors are considered before a punishment
is given out, but at this time the punishment was always hard making life very difficult.
Laws are always changing over time to represent the current values, morals, and beliefs
of societies. Life in Mesopotamia was very difficult and unjust under The Code of
Hammurabi; but they demonstrated the beliefs and values of Mesopotamia. Through the
categories of class structure, professional standards, and the nature of punishments it is
easier to look at the society and have a view of the difficult life and injustices people
must have experienced during that time.
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