2006-08-28 17:51:19 · 4 answers · asked by dakid12 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
1) The inscription now called the "Code of Hammurabi" may NOT be an actual "code" that he promulgated or used The introduction and epilogue suggest that Hammurabi wrote it to present himself as a model king of justice (a 'good shepherd' of his people, as kings were supposed to be), as the gods appointed him to be. The laws --which are not systematic or complete-- serve to illustrate his point... as if to say, 'this is how justice has been carried out under my rule'. That is, he is boasting about the job he's done as king and how worthy he is ... a common practice of ancient royal inscriptions.
http://www.constitution.org/ime/hammurabi.htm
Also, the actual stela on which this inscription appears would hardly have been very useful for reference and enforcement. But as a boast (esp before his gods) it makes lots of sense.
2) The principle of 'an eye for an eye' --letting the punishment fit the crime-- used in this 'Code' (though the precise expression comes from the Bible) ONLY applied for people of the same social class. If you did injury to someone on a lower social plane, the penalty was reduced (usually to a cash payment).
2006-08-30 07:53:19 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he's best known for promulgating his code of laws, known as the Code of Hammurabi.
2006-08-29 03:54:39 · answer #2 · answered by ira a 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
hmm cool fact? well i can't beat the law!
well he is used in the civilizations series game as the leader of the babylonians!
now thats a cool fact :D
2006-08-29 11:49:49 · answer #3 · answered by wing_gundam 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Please check out this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammurabi
2006-08-29 00:59:17 · answer #4 · answered by cooldad 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋