There is much more to the 282 laws of Hammurabi than ‘an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’ explains Diana Bentley, who pays tribute to the remarkable legal code instituted by the king of Babylon nearly 4000 years ago. 1
The impulse to regulate human affairs is a longlived one. With this in mind, many ancient civilizations created collections of laws designed to order their societies. Chief among these are the law codes of Mesopotamia, of which the oldest is the Sumerian codes of Ur-Nammu, king of Ur (circa 2100 BC) and Lipit-Ishtar of Isin (circa 1930 BC). But
But it is the later, renowned code of Hammurabi (1 and 5) which is the most complete and which established this Babylonian king as one of the most celebrated law-givers in antiquity.
Most often, Hammurabi’s code is known for establishing the ‘eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth’ credo of retribution. It is, however, much more nuanced than that. Notably sophisticated in many respects, his code represents a significant step in legal history.
His forebears, who had come to power in Babylon in about 1894 BC, were descended from the Amorites, a tribe from western Syria. The sixth king of this Babylonian dynasty, Hammurabi (circa 1810 BC–circa 1750 BC) came to power in 1792 BC and, initially, concentrated largely on civic projects. Later, he expanded his kingdom until, by the time of his death, it encompassed all of Mesopotamia (4).
A host of documents, inscribed on clay tablets, from Hammurabi’s time have been uncovered by archaeologists and they provide a valuable chronicle of everyday life. Contracts evidence a wide range of legal transactions, from divorce arrangements to dealings in property – both real estate, livestock and people – and lawsuits. Many letters from the king to his aides record details of the administration of the kingdom. The most acclaimed aspect of the legacy of Hammurabi’s kingdom, however, is his code of laws.
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ROMAN DISCOVERIES AT ANCIENT AUGUSTODUNUM
More than 230 graves have been uncovered at a necropolis in the French city of Autun, revealing a diverse mix in burial practices over a period of nearly 200 years, as well as luxury grave goods from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD that highlight the wealth of some of its ancient inhabitants.
SHAPING THE WORLD: SCULPTURE FROM PREHISTORY TO NOW
The sculptor Antony Gormley and the art historian and critic Martin Gayford have been talking about sculpture with each other for 20 years.
Amelia Edwards (1831-1892)
“I am essentially a worker, and a hard worker, and this I have been since my early girlhood.”
THE GREAT BEYOND
The ancient Greeks thought much about the dead – how their remains should be disposed of, how their spirits might be summoned, how malignant they could be if unavenged. Classicist David Stuttard brings us face to face with the Greek dead.
INTO THE VALLEY OF THE QUEENS
The Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II, Nefertari, was buried in one of the most spectacular tombs of Egypt’s Valley of the Queens. Well-educated and well-travelled, Nefertari played a crucial part in the political life of the pharaoh, and her importance was reflected through her magnificently decorated tomb. Lucia Marchini speaks to Jennifer Casler Price to find out more.
DEIR EL-BAHRI, 1894
Tensions were already high among the archaeologists, surveyors, and artists of the Archaeological Survey of Egypt in 1891 when an eventful dispute arose on Christmas Eve.
PUSHING BOUNDARIES
When the Etruscans expanded to the south and the vast plains of Campania, they found a land of cultural connections and confrontations, as luxurious grave goods found across the region reveal. An exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples sheds light on these ancient Italians at the frontier. Paolo Giulierini, director of the museum, is our guide.
CUZCO 'CENTRE AND HEAD OF ALL THE LAND'
Cuzco was the heart of the vast Inca empire, but all changed in the 16th century when the capital was conquered by Spanish invaders. Michael J Schreffler investigates the Inca city, and how it went from the centre of one empire to the periphery of another.
A STUDY IN PURPLE
A tiny speck of purple paint from the 2nd century AD may yield clues to how ancient artists created the extraordinary portrait panels that accompanied mummified bodies into the afterlife.
Rome In The 8th Century: A History In Art
John Osborne CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, £75 HARDBACK - ISBN 978-1108834582
