...Yes, the code of Hammurabi is a dependable source to rely on when studying the lives of the early Mesopotamians because it conveys information about their society, culture, and government that cannot be found elsewhere. The society, culture, and government are important characteristics for anyone to know when attempting to understand a civilization. According to the code of Hammurabi society was organized into three categories; nobles, free persons, and slaves. Unlike some early civilizations, the Mesopotamians did not view every person as equals. However, their society was relatively fair. For example, a noble was charged more for medical assistant than a slave (Mathisen). The code of Hammurabi depicts their culture as male dominant; men could...
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...Roles of the Ancient Women Ancient Middle Eastern civilizations laid the ground work for the progression of Western culture. The religions and laws created by the leaders of these civilizations directed the day to day lives of their people. We see evidence of this through the archeological and anthropological studies that have been conducted throughout the Middle Eastern regions over the past few decades. As most of these civilizations were built upon a patriarchal culture, the majority of what has been unearth points toward the day to day lives of the men of those civilizations. What evidence is there for the role of women in these ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Minoan cultures? The written historical record, excavated artifacts and art provides a rich tapestry of evidence of the lives of the Ancient Mesopotamians and with it a small glimpse into the lives of Mesopotamian women. Many resources point to the woman’s role being firmly that of a “daughter of her father or the wife of her husband.” (The Oriantial Institute, Chicago University) Texts such as The Code of Hammurabi spell out what few rights a Mesopotamian woman had. These rights were mainly associated to the privileges of the dowry bestowed up on her husband by her father or in his death her eldest male relative. (Hooker, Washington State University, 1999) A dowry typically consisted of money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage. The rights to this dowry were mainly held by the father...
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...Mesopotamia/Babylon History Babylon was probably the most famous city of ancient Mesopotamia. Until today the city is a symbol for wealth, power, and sin (largely due to its treatment in the Bible). The name Babylon is the Greek form of Babel of Babili, which means "the gate of the god" in Semitic, which again is the translation of the original Sumerian name Ka-dimirra. The god was probably Marduk, the divine patron of the city. Like the other great Sanctuaries of Babylonia, the temple of Marduk had been founded in pre-Semitic times and the future Babylon grew around it. As Marduk was the son of Ea, the patron god of Eridu, it is possible that Babylon was a colony of Eridu. The earliest mention of Babylon is in a dated tablet of the reign of Sargon of Akkad (2334-2279 BCE), who is stated to have built sanctuaries there. Babylon remained a provincial town until it became the capital of the first dynasty of Babylon and then Hammurabi's empire, around 1795-1750 BCE. From this time onward it continued to be the capital of Babylonia and the holy city of western Asia. The claim to supremacy in Mesopotamia was not fulfilled de jure until the claimant had "taken the hands" of Marduk at Babylon. It was this which made Tiglath-pileser III (ruled 745-727 BCE) and other Assyrian kings so anxious to possess themselves of Babylon and to thus legitimize their power. Only Sennacherib of Assyria (reigned 704-681 BCE) failed to secure the support of the Babylonian priesthood, and subsequently...
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...often held the king responsible, and deposed him. Ancient Mesopotamia was a region that contained several city-states, much like Italy during the Italian Renaissance period. Mesopotamia at this time did not have a centralized government but, instead, had many smaller regions with their own separate governments. The early kings ruled over only their own city-states. Lacking a centralized government and leader, the ancient region was prone to internal fighting among the kings for land and resources. The Mesopotamians believed their kings and queens were descended from the City of Gods, but, unlike the ancient Egyptians, they never believed their kings were real gods. Most kings named themselves “king of the universe” or “great king”. Another common name was “shepherd”, as kings had to look after their people. Sumerians: Gilgamesh (c. 2650 BC) - Gilgamesh was the 5th king of the Sumerian city of Uruk. He became known as a demigod with superhuman strength in later legends and tales such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. Akkadian Empire: Sargon the Great (reigned 2334 - 2279 BC) - or Sargon of Akkad, founded the world's 1st empire, the Akkadian Empire. He conquered many of the Sumerian city-states and united them under 1 rule. Naram-Sin (reigned 2254 - 2218 BC) - The Akkadian Empire reached its peak under his kingship. He was the first Mesopotamian ruler to claim to be a god. He was also the grandson of Sargon. Babylonian Empire: Hammurabi (reigned 1792 - 1752 BC) – The 6th king of Babylon...
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...Preface: Hammurabi was a Babylonian king who ruled from 1792 to 1750 B.C. His attributes were he extended his empire northward from the Persian Gulf to the Tigris and Euphrates River and west to the Mediterranean Sea. He united the area into one extensive empire, Mesopotamia, which in present day is known as Iraq. (Ancient Mesopotamia) Hammurabi created a list of rules and laws for the people of his empire to follow called “The Code of Hammurabi”. This is one of the oldest and most detailed documents in existence and gives insight as to how the members of Babylonian society lived. The code listed 282 rules for society to obey by and the consequences or guidelines for each member given their social status and their gender. There were rules of every category. From marriage and adultery, criminal acts such a stealing, property, and monetary trading. What’s interesting about this rulebook is the detail and coverage of the book. While in today’s world we may not follow rules such as “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” like the Code of Hammurabi, whose punishments for a crime were much more extravagant and gruesome at times. There was segregation in gender and social status. The topics addressed in the code are some of the same topics addressed that we, today, value and instill. In today’s government we have laws of crime and punishment, monetary laws, and laws regarding marriage. We have these laws so we can have structure and a successful government and society. It’s...
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...Hammurabi’s Law Hammurabi laws deal with all aspects of everyday life, and it describes both major and minor offenses and their punishments. It is one of the first written codes of law in history, and it is the longest code that has been discovered. The laws were made to equalize society, establish justice and fairness, bring about the rule of righteousness, and protect the weak from the strong. However, the rich and poor, men and women, and elites and commoners were treated differently under the law. This deepened the social hierarchy and distinctions between classes and genders, which soon became normal and accepted in society. L. W. King states that “Hammurabi laws also influenced the need for one, powerful leader. It used the political power to generate bonds between the people of different races and backgrounds. The Code of Hammurabi was developed by the Babylonian ruler, Hammburabi. He ruled Babylon, which he expanded to cover most of Mesopotamia, from 1792-1750 BCE. Laws, judgments, and decrees were incorporated into the 282 laws that make up the code. The code was given to Hammurabi by the sun God, Shamash. The Babylonian God, Marduk, facilitated Hammurabi's rule. He gave Hammurabi the authority to rule Babylon. Also, the code gave people moral standards, created distinct social classes, and worked to create equality. It was supposed to "protect the weak from the strong", but it in turn favored the rich and was harsher on the poor. After the fall of Babylon, Hammurabi left a...
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...From 1792 BC to 1750 BC, Hammurabi, son of Sin-Muballit, reigned as the sixth king of the Babylonian kingdom. Hammurabi’s rule has been praised due to his military victories, as well as his supervision over issues in relation to the welfare of his subjects. Having successfully been the only king in his dynasty to rule Babylonia into an achieved state of peace, and a symbol of modern innovation of his time through his code of legislation, Hammurabi’s reign over the Babylonian dynasty had a definite positive impact overall. His applications of mandatory compliance with civil and criminal laws, the successful transformation of the Babylonian kingdom to an empire, as well as his creation and consistent preservation of peace – even during his numerous...
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...Mesopotamia Historically, the ancient city states of Mesopotamia in the fertile crescent are most cited by Western and Middle Eastern scholars as the cradle of civilization. The convergence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers produced rich fertile soil and a supply of water for irrigation. The civilizations that emerged around these rivers are among the earliest known non-nomadic agrarian societies. Because Ubaid, Sumer, Akkad, Assyria and Babylon civilizations all emerged around the Tigris-Euphrates, the theory that Mesopotamia is the cradle of civilization is widely accepted.[14]The Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer emerges in the Ubaid period (6500-3800 BC) and Uruk period (ca. 4000 to 3100 BC), culminating in the mid-3rd millennium before giving rise to the Akkadian Empire in the 24th century BC. This is often identified as the first empire in history. Eridu was the oldest Sumerian site, settled during the proto-civilized Ubaid period. Situated several miles southwest of Ur, Eridu was the southernmost of a conglomeration of early temple-cities, in Sumer, southern Mesopotamia, with the earliest of these settlements dating to around 5000 BC. By the 4th millennium BC in Nippur we[who?] find — in connection with a sort of ziggurat and shrine — a conduit built of bricks in the form of an arch. Sumerian inscriptions written on clay also appear in Nippur. By 4000 BC an ancient Elamite city of Susa, in Mesopotamia, also seems to emerge from earlier villages. Whilst the Elamites...
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...Women’s Role in Ancient Times HIS 103 World Civilizations I Women's Role in Ancient times A woman in today’s society is somewhat equal to a man’s but the treatment of women in ancient times were strict and women had no rights as compared to men. During the Ancient times, there was the misconception of women and the different roles they played. They were to stay at home and took care of their households and such other womanly duties that were deemed appropriate for their gender during those periods. Also, it was very important for a woman to know the laws and requirements of their roles and how those roles were perceived in a society. In many countries, the women had similarities, and a few differences. Although time has progressed and there are some roles that are no longer in existence, the women of today and ancient times still have things in common. For example, women still have the role of caring for their children, instilling family values, and commitment to sacred vowels of matrimony. Throughout history, there are many cultures that shared the same common beliefs about the role of women. Women in the countries like China, Egypt, Rome, and the Mesopotamian society are a few places that women’s cultures are shared with common similarities but there are some with different aspects. Women were considered weaker than men and were unable to perform work that requires muscular or intellectual development. Because of this, women were restrained to accomplishing light...
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...efficient cultivation techniques. For early humans, almost all time and energy was devoted to gathering plants for food and hunting animals. Once agriculture became the primary method for cultivating food, societies and governments began to form and the modern notion of the nation state (or city state in some cases) began. The development of agriculture also had a heavy hand in influencing early religions. Religion would go on to become one of the most dominant forces throughout human history; influencing everything from powerful governments to the day-to-day life of citizens the world over. This paper will discuss the importance of the development of agriculture among early humans with specific regard to the rise of Mesopotamian city-states and the ancient Egyptian nation state. These two early societies provide poignant examples of the profound influence of agriculture. In their respective eras, they...
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...(Summer 2014) Old Testament Orientation II Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Marcus Banks-Bey_L2444950 June 29, 2014 Thesis Statement This research paper will discuss, and review the history of the Babylion Empire, its rulers, and the Empire’s influential relationship upon some of the major events which developed within Old Testament literature. Introduction Through my research, it is my intent to identify significant points within the history of the Babylion Empire, including its origins, development, expansion, eventual decline, and why it became a focal point of many of the major events of the Old Testament. From the Great Empire of Akkad, Babylon became a major seat of learning, culture, and technology. More than simply a city-state of defiance, and sinful practices, Babylon’s influence, very often viewed through a negative scholarly lens, shaped the history of Asia Minor, Northern Africa, and the world when approached from a biblical standpoint. As such, Babylon remains a critical, powerful nation in relation to its nation-state of Israel, and Old Testament history. Nimrod The Cushite The first nation-state identified within contemporary Biblical literature is the land that is “Ethiopia”, as mentioned in Genesis 2:13[1]. Most importantly, the Hebrew term “Kush” is the concordance term used by Strong’s, which is interchangeable with the term Ethiopia(n), and defines the peoples of Cush, Ethiopia as being Black, Africans...
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...agriculture. Gathering an abundant amount of food could only be managed with the aid of many humans managing the water in an organized manner. This needs an organized system which could have possibly led to advanced and civilized cities. How did the Tigris and Euphrates rivers help the Mesopotamian civilization prosper? The land between the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates is called the “land between the two rivers”. This made the Mesopotamian civilization prosper and expand because of the rich soils that could grow crops. The rich soil created a base for an abundant amount of crops which helped the cities and civilization to flourish as well as provide water for animals and cleaning. In the end of spring, the rivers overflow causing a flood, however it does not happen every year. Whenever the rivers overflow and flood it can be catastrophic to the people as well as to the crops. Human advancement helped intervene this situation and build ditches and drainage so that water can be taken out for use later. The rivers helped the Mesopotamians gather abundant amounts of foods and crops. The water from the rivers were a crucial part in the advancement of this civilization. The first Mesopotamian civilization were the Sumerians, what ways made them advance economically and politically? In the early form of government, scientists believe that priests and priestesses had a very important role. Sumerians believed in theocracy, a government ruled by a divine authority. This form of organization...
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...Factoring's origins lie in the financing of trade, particularly international trade. It is said that factoring originated with ancient Mesopotamian culture, with rules of factoring preserved in the Code of Hammurabi. Factoring as a fact of business life was underway in England prior to 1400, and it came to America with the Pilgrims, around 1620.[10] It appears to be closely related to early merchant banking activities. The latter however evolved by extension to non-trade related financing such as sovereign debt.[11] Like all financial instruments, factoring evolved over centuries. This was driven by changes in the organization of companies; technology, particularly air travel and non-face to face communications technologies starting with the telegraph, followed by the telephone and then computers. These also drove and were driven by modifications of the common law framework in England and the United States.[12] Governments were latecomers to the facilitation of trade financed by factors. English common law originally held that unless the debtor was notified, the assignment between the seller of invoices and the factor was not valid. The Canadian Federal Government legislation governing the assignment of moneys owed by it still reflects this stance as does provincial government legislation modelled after it. As late as the current century the courts have heard arguments that without notification of the debtor the assignment was not valid. In the United States, by 1949 the majority...
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...Harris High School alum, and in a one page double spaced font size 12 typed essay (Intro Paragraph, Body Paragraph(s), Conclusion) discuss how they have had an impact on / contributed to the world. Make sure to include biographic details (Where were they born etc.?) and a discussion of their achievements. If you want to do so, list their numerous achievements after your essay. C. Read pp. 92 – 95: (Excerpts taken from) The Epic of Gilgamesh 1. In two brief paragraphs answer the questions found on page 93 Question 1: How would you define the Mesopotamian ideal of kingship? What is the basis of the monarch’s legitimacy? Question 2: What understanding of the afterlife does the epic suggest? Question 3: How does the Epic of Gilgamesh portray the gods and their relationship to humankind? D. Read pp. 95 – 97: Code of Hammurabi Question 1: What sorts of social problems afflicted ancient Mesopotamia? Question 2: To what extent was Mesopotamia patriarchal? E. Read pp. 181 – 183 Question 1: What as distinctive about the Jewish tradition? That is, what was distinctive about Judaism, what made Judaism different from many other religions of the time? F. Read pp. 117 – 122 Identify and or Define: Empire, Indo-European, Iranian Plateau, Achaemenid, Cyrus, Darius, Ahura Mazda, satrap. Persepolis Question 1: Why is the motto “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor darkness of night” a good example of cultural diffusion? G. Read...
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...Book Review Summary of Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament by John H. Walton Chapter 1 Chapter 1 is Walton’s introduction to the discussion concerning the congruence of the Old Testament with the world surrounding it. This chapter discusses the history, methodology, and reasoning behind comparative Old Testament studies. It then concludes with the principles and goals each student should possess as he or she studies the Old Testament. His synopsis of comparative Old Testament studies begins with the resurgence of Egyptian and Mesopotamian archaeological studies during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.[1] He then moves on to discuss the impact of Friedrich Delitzsch’s lectures concerning how the writers of the Old Testament borrowed from extrabiblical sources set the stage for many secular ideologies removing the special revelation aspect from the Bible. This allowed two things to take place. First, it brought out the comparative study of the Bible into a critical realm; and second, it made Assyriology, Egyptology, and Hittitology serious academic disciplines which have greatly enhanced modern man’s understanding of these ancient cultures. While Walton discusses several forms of Old Testament study, his opinion favors comparative studies. He starts with explaining the reasoning for sound methodological comparative study and moves on to answer the “why” it should be performed over other studies. In his view, it expands...
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