Download Ancient Mesopotamia by Stephen Fienstein

Ancient Mesopotamia by Stephen Fienstein
Chapter Four: The Babylonian Empire
For more than two hundred years, Mesopotamia remained in constant
upheaval. City-states under control of Amorite kings were often in conflict with each
other, just as in earlier times these same city-states under Sumerian rule had waged
war against one another. Babylon, a small town on the banks of the Euphrates River,
was captured in 1894 B.C. by an Amorite called Sumu-abum. He established a small
kingdom with the city of Babylon as his capital. Babylon was located about fifty-six
miles south of present day Baghdad.
Hammurabi: King of Babylon
In 1792 B.C., Hammurabi, a descendant of Sumu-abum, became king of
Babylon. He had visions of establishing Babylon as the capital of a new empire in
Mesopotamia. To accomplish his goal, Hammurabi acted to bring about an end to the
dangerous rivalry between the major city-states. But before he could attempt this,
he first had to solidify his rule. One of his first acts as king was to issue a
proclamation that forgave people’s debts. This, of course, made his popular with his
subjects. Hammurabi added to his popularity by beautifying Babylon’s temples,
strengthening the city’s fortifications, and improving the irrigation system.
Hammurabi proved to be a wise statesman. For the first thirty-one years of
his reign, he made alliances with his rivals, broke them when necessary, and
renewed them when it worked to his advantage. Finally, Hammurabi was ready to
unity Mesopotamia. Hammurabi waged war against rival city-states, one by one.
First he attacked and defeated the city of Larsa, which allowed him to gain control of
southern and central Mesopotamia. Next he destroyed the city of Mari, seizing
control of western Mesopotamia. He then captured the cities of Eshnunna, located
about 65 miles north of Babylon, and Assur, 200 miles northwest of Babylon.
Having conquered his major rivals, Hammurabi now ruled all of
Mesopotamia and some surrounding territory. His empire extended all the way from
the Persian Gulf in the south to the southern part of present-day Turkey in the
north, and from the Zagros Mountains in the east to the Khabur River in present-day
Syria. Hammurabi had proved to be a courageous military leader. Now he would
demonstrate superb administrative skills governing his vast empire.
The Code of Hammurabi
As a Mesopotamian king, Hammurabi was responsible for acting as lawgiver
and chief judge. Other Mesopotamian kings had collections of laws, but few besides
Hammurabi’s have been found. Known as the “Code of Hammurabi,” these 282
specific laws, written on a black stone eight feet high, reinforce the principle that
government has a responsibility for what occurs in society, since the laws concern
themselves with the well-being of the empire: with family relations, property issues,
business conduct, and crime.
Ancient Mesopotamia by Stephen Fienstein
Hammurabi’s laws were intended to apply uniformly to all citizens. In the
prologue, inscribed on the same stone with the 282 laws, Hammurabi wrote that the
gods had instructed him “to make justice appear in the land, to destroy the evil and
the wicked that the strong might not oppress the weak, to rise like the sun-god…to
give light to the land.” However, in many instances the laws reflected a code of
justice that may seem harsh by today’s standards, literally demanding “an eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth.” For example:
If a man has accused another man and has brought a charge of murder
against him, but has not proved it, his accuser shall be put to death.
If a son has struck his father, they shall cut off his hand.
If an awilum [possibly a landowner of head of household] has put out the eye
of a mar-awilum [son of an awilum], they shall put out his eye.
The Code of Hammurabi was not Mesopotamia’s first collection of laws. One of the
oldest is the code of laws of the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu, which dates from about
2100 B.C. Only five of Ur-Nammu’s laws, which were written on clay tablets, have
survived. Hammurabi’s 282 laws were inscribed in forty-nine columns on a basalt
stela, or stone monument, and became a permanent reminder for future civilizations
that a complex society must be governed by law.
After Hammurabi’s death in 1750 B.C., the Babylonian Empire began to
crumble, following the usual Mesopotamian pattern. Hammurabi’s descendents
were unable to hold the empire together, as conflicts erupted again between rival
city-states. The empire continued to shrink surrounding lands. Eventually, a new
empire would arise in northern Mesopotamia.