Why Was The Hammurabi Code Considered To Be So Important?

Question 1

Why is the Hammurabi Code considered to be so important?

A) The Hammurabi Code is an 18th century BCE set of legal codes set by Babylonian King Hammurabi. The code was inscribed upon a block of 8 feet high, black diorite. The block is broken into three parts however it can easily be rejoined together. Other fragments have also been found which suggest that there was a second copy of the code. The code was found in the acropolis of the ancient city of Susa, in modern day Iran, in 1901/1902 CE. King Hammurabi was the 6th king of Babylon and ruled from 1792BCE – 1750BCE. The code is currently kept on display at the famous Louvre museum in Paris.

B) The Code of Hammurabi involves many different laws, but the main purpose of the code

is still unclear today. While the obvious and most likely answer is that it is a set of laws put in place to govern and bring order to the people, some historians will argue that the code was simply made to recognize and establish Hammurabi as a powerful ruler and that the code was never or rarely actually enforced. There are 282 laws in the code that tall about a range of items including; marital rights and disputes, the relationship between slaves and their owners, murder, rape and theft, and especially gives codes for accusations and the punishments for if they are false. The codes mostly discuss what will be done if a certain circumstance arrives; and the punishments or rewards that will be given. “Should an individual do such and such a thing, such and such a thing will happen to him or her.” The code is also largely varied to class and gender, such as having different punishments for if a woman did something rather than a man. Despite this it wasn’t always completely unfair to the women as it is in some cultures, for example “138. If a man has divorced his wife, who has not borne him children, he shall pay over to her as much money as was given for her bride-price and the marriage-portion which she brought from her father's house, and so shall divorce her.” As the Hammurabi Code is one of the earliest examples of law, it has had quite an influence on the development of modern laws. And some of it is still in place today in the form of popular sayings, ‘an eye for an eye’ taken from “196. If a man has knocked out the eye of a patrician, his eye shall be knocked out”.

Question 2
Which of the two translations of Greek poet Sappho’s poem ‘Some say’ do you find the most persuasive? How and why does your chosen translation of the poem work best?

The poem ‘Some Say’ which has been translated by Jim Powell is far more persuasive and generally works best compared to Josephine Balmer’s translations. Powell’s translation flows a lot more smoothly than Balmer’s, which has a lot of awkward pauses and is rather disjointed. This flow makes the poem far easier both to read and understand, for example “but [the goddess of love] led her astray [to desire]” (Balmer), compared to Powell’s, “When the goddess seduced her wits and left her to wander”. Balmer also uses simple statements and relies on literal imagery to create an image in the reader’s head, which while it does have this affect; it is not as strong as Powell’s use of imagery. Paradoxically, Powell has used figurative imagery that creates a far stronger image and leaves the reader captivated. I assume the author to be a female due to the emotional language and phrases used. Though the poem speaks of warfare, it shows, in the author’s opinion, that women are fare more enticing to look at. To most this would imply that the author is a man, but due to the way the author talks of Helen leaving her husband is not with judgment, but with understanding. “She could not remember anything but longing, and lightly straying aside, lost her way”. To me that implies that the author is a woman. The meaning of the poem can be assumed from the first verse, “I say it’s whatever you love best”. The poem is the author’s opinion on what they love best. As warfare and large cavalry’s and fleets of ships were common in the original authors Sappho’s period of time, by describing a women’s beauty and “rather see her lovely step”, implies that women are what the author loves best in a self appreciating way. There is an underlining tone of loneliness to the poem by discussing war, Helen leaving her family, and Anactória who is “not here”. However, I personally find the poem to be about faith. Helen left behind everything and her husband who was “that best of men”, because she had faith in something better of perhaps more waiting for her in Troy. The author also speaks of Anactória and that even though she is not there, the author has faith in her beauty and that she will always be far better than to “gaze on all the troops”.

Question 3
Discuss the following proposition:
‘Modern democracy may have developed from the political thought of Antiquity, but these societies were neither fair, equal, nor representative.’

Modern democracy was largely developed from the political thought of Antiquity.

Societies such as Ancient Rome especially paved the way for modern democracy. However, these societies were neither fair, equal, nor representative. During the time of the great Roman Empire there was approximately up to 1 million people living in Rome. But slaves held 35% of the population. Though slaves were able to become teachers and even doctors, they will still forced into labor and made to fight for entertainment, such as in the coliseum. Slavery was the backbone of the empire and without it, it could not have flourished the way it did. The use and normality of slavery in this society proves that it was neither fair nor equal. Ancient Rome is also proven not to be equal or representative by looking at the senate. The senate was created in the early days of Rome and it grew more powerful, until the empire formed and the Emperor became the most powerful, yet even then it still played an important role. The senate was generally in charge of choosing the next king, managing finances and legislation, and had the most control over everyday life and the common people. Wealthy senate members even had the opportunity to own their own private armies if they so wished. However, the senate were not elected by the people: in fact the people had very little say to almost no say in who were there leaders; whether an emperor or king or member of the senate. This allowed for a neither fair nor representative society. Despite this, Antiquities such as Rome did pave the way for modern democracy. The political thought of antiquity is still quite similar to today in certain aspects. There is still a senate, but unlike in ancient Rome, today the public mostly elects the senators. The king or emperor are now replaced with presidents and prime ministers, who once again are partially voted in by the public, yet there is still more equal and fair representatives then there was in ancient societies.

Democracy today is largely influenced and developed from the political thought of antiquity; yet now it has become far more fair, equal, and representative then it was in ancient societies.