Law has been an integral part of society and civilization. It has defined how governments and people should operate. The earliest civilizations, Mesopotamia and Egypt, have developed extensive laws that people had to follow.
In Mesopotamia, the Code of Ur- Nammu served as the key foundation for future laws, such as the well known Code of Hammurabi. This code specifically talked about the payments for people who have faced body injuries.
Specifically during the Babylon empire, the Code of Hammurabi was developed to unite Mesopotamia. Consisting of 282 laws written in cuneiform, the Code of Hammurabi converted details about setting fines and punishments if someone violated the laws as well as how society should operate. Some examples that the Code of Hammurabi covers are Babylonian society should have three social classes, property class, freemen, and slaves, and harsh punishments, such as if a person steals someone’s ox, he will be paid back 30 times the worth. The famous phrase “eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth” originates from this document. It still has a lasting impact on the legal field today.
In Mesopotamia, the Code of Ur- Nammu served as the key foundation for future laws, such as the well known Code of Hammurabi. This code specifically talked about the payments for people who have faced body injuries.
Specifically during the Babylon empire, the Code of Hammurabi was developed to unite Mesopotamia. Consisting of 282 laws written in cuneiform, the Code of Hammurabi converted details about setting fines and punishments if someone violated the laws as well as how society should operate. Some examples that the Code of Hammurabi covers are Babylonian society should have three social classes, property class, freemen, and slaves, and harsh punishments, such as if a person steals someone’s ox, he will be paid back 30 times the worth. The famous phrase “eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth” originates from this document. It still has a lasting impact on the legal field today.
Assyrian empire also developed and added onto the Code of Hammurabi by making the penal laws more brutal and aggressive. The death penalty was also mentioned as a potential punishment for those who commit severe crimes.
Egyptian law highlights the strong interaction and relationship with people and God, which was known as “ma’at”. Ma’at was all about being a moral and ethical person. Compared to the Mesopotamian code laws, Egyptians did not preserve their code laws, especially since Egypt was taken by Romans, which led to the decline of their legal system. Primogeniture laws were one of the earliest laws that developed; these laws highlighted how property should be distributed within the family, and men and women received equal amounts of land. Ancient Egypt also developed a court system in which the pharaoh served as the Supreme judge with the vizier acting as the person who would hear the details of the case.
In ancient India, the Manusmriti, or the Laws of Manu, held a very detailed account on how Hindu society should function. The laws detail about punishments, social life, and emphasize ethics and morals. In addition, the laws also gave more power to men, giving men more authority over women when it comes to family life. The Laws of Manu also opened up the creation of the caste system, which grouped Hindus into social classes. As a result, there was limited mobility within the caste system. Another important contribution to the legal system was the Arthashastra. This document outlined military, economic, and political policies and strategies to take note of. This Arthashastra is frequently compared to Macchiaveli’s Prince because of how this document details the role of government and a leader. It also covers the roles and relationships of the king , ministers, countryside, treasury, and army.
Confucianism influenced Chinese law. Chinese law was built on relationships and showing respect towards elders, specifically older men. Concepts, such as filial piety, were crucial in showing one’s respect and recognition towards men, which came from the Confucian text, the Analects. For a short period of time, Confucianism lost its influence when the Qin dynasty took over. Legalism was the philosophy that dominated this dynasty, calling for stricter laws and not focusing on relationships and morals. However, when the Han dynasty took over the Qin dynasty, the Han codes were created and these codes focused specifically on father-son relationships.
Governments began to form, which led to the birth of democracy. This took place in present day Athens in ancient Greece. Greece did not have a unified developed legal system since many of the states had their own government, so it was their responsibility to make their own laws. Law codes began to come in 621 BCE, which became known as Draco’s Laws. These laws covered criminal punishment. Draconian Laws influenced how other cities should maintain their legal systems. For example, the Gortyn (a city located in Crete) codes highlight the role of courts, property law, and rape and adultery. These codes were created in 421 BCE. Later, Solon modified the law codes to include more laws on economy and trade.
When the Roman Empire was established, it created the Twelve Tables, which were laws scripted in 12 bronze tablets. These laws were created to protect the rights of common people, which were the plebeians, from the priest and aristocratic classes. This was to make sure that the government did not restrict or limit the liberties of its citizens. Roman law also introduced statues, plebiscites (direct vote by the people to amend certain lines in the Constitution), and senatorial decrees as components of the law. In the Roman empire, the emperor typically served as the judge, but the Senate also played a role in releasing or modifying provisions in laws. Also, a new role, the jurists, came into play in the Roman empire to interpret and apply the law.
Egyptian law highlights the strong interaction and relationship with people and God, which was known as “ma’at”. Ma’at was all about being a moral and ethical person. Compared to the Mesopotamian code laws, Egyptians did not preserve their code laws, especially since Egypt was taken by Romans, which led to the decline of their legal system. Primogeniture laws were one of the earliest laws that developed; these laws highlighted how property should be distributed within the family, and men and women received equal amounts of land. Ancient Egypt also developed a court system in which the pharaoh served as the Supreme judge with the vizier acting as the person who would hear the details of the case.
In ancient India, the Manusmriti, or the Laws of Manu, held a very detailed account on how Hindu society should function. The laws detail about punishments, social life, and emphasize ethics and morals. In addition, the laws also gave more power to men, giving men more authority over women when it comes to family life. The Laws of Manu also opened up the creation of the caste system, which grouped Hindus into social classes. As a result, there was limited mobility within the caste system. Another important contribution to the legal system was the Arthashastra. This document outlined military, economic, and political policies and strategies to take note of. This Arthashastra is frequently compared to Macchiaveli’s Prince because of how this document details the role of government and a leader. It also covers the roles and relationships of the king , ministers, countryside, treasury, and army.
Confucianism influenced Chinese law. Chinese law was built on relationships and showing respect towards elders, specifically older men. Concepts, such as filial piety, were crucial in showing one’s respect and recognition towards men, which came from the Confucian text, the Analects. For a short period of time, Confucianism lost its influence when the Qin dynasty took over. Legalism was the philosophy that dominated this dynasty, calling for stricter laws and not focusing on relationships and morals. However, when the Han dynasty took over the Qin dynasty, the Han codes were created and these codes focused specifically on father-son relationships.
Governments began to form, which led to the birth of democracy. This took place in present day Athens in ancient Greece. Greece did not have a unified developed legal system since many of the states had their own government, so it was their responsibility to make their own laws. Law codes began to come in 621 BCE, which became known as Draco’s Laws. These laws covered criminal punishment. Draconian Laws influenced how other cities should maintain their legal systems. For example, the Gortyn (a city located in Crete) codes highlight the role of courts, property law, and rape and adultery. These codes were created in 421 BCE. Later, Solon modified the law codes to include more laws on economy and trade.
When the Roman Empire was established, it created the Twelve Tables, which were laws scripted in 12 bronze tablets. These laws were created to protect the rights of common people, which were the plebeians, from the priest and aristocratic classes. This was to make sure that the government did not restrict or limit the liberties of its citizens. Roman law also introduced statues, plebiscites (direct vote by the people to amend certain lines in the Constitution), and senatorial decrees as components of the law. In the Roman empire, the emperor typically served as the judge, but the Senate also played a role in releasing or modifying provisions in laws. Also, a new role, the jurists, came into play in the Roman empire to interpret and apply the law.
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| ancient_and_classical_law.pdf |