Reviews

The Code of Hammurabi by Hammurabi

clockworkp's review against another edition

4.0

Es muy interesante e increíble lo burocrático que fueron siempre las sociedades humanas, al menos cuando están bien governadas. Cosas como divorcio, arrendamientos, asesinatos, herencias... Rápido de leer y con mucho subtexto.

ostrava's review against another edition

4.0

I randomly decided to read this. Since there was no "use" for me behind it, I didn't really pay it any attention, as far as details go. And I know next to nothing about Babylonian culture, which makes my sudden urge all the more strange.

Anyway, Hammurabi wasn't a guy that fucked around. Almost all of these "laws" are punished by death, nuance and degrees of severity be damned. I remember one of them being about nuns (?) not being allowed to drink or else they were burned alive? It's brutal from start to finish. It's also interesting how there isn't really a consensus as to what these precepts are exactly: laws? Past cases? An early attempt at compiling jurisprudence? Crazy stuff. I'm probably going to find more enjoyment in the Gilgamesh though.

alexccavaco's review

4.0

The Code of Hammurabi is an important piece of history. It shows the organization of one of the oldest civilizations and its conservation is a gift in itself. This code shows a clear structure to the lives under Hammurabi and a clear attempt to make a fair system despite status. There is, of course, a clear distinction between many individuals, women and slaves are endowed with significantly fewer rights than men, for example. However, this is not as clear as the law siding with the favorable entity at all times. Nonetheless and overall, this writing is very alien to our own times and, given that, it can be shocking. Recurrently, the judgment for a crime leads to the death of one or more individuals, sometimes this death is specified as burning. The system is very harsh in the penalty, but attempts "fairness", at least in the concept of those times, and covers a surprising amount.

levininja's review

5.0

The main topics are setting prices, divorce laws, incest is bad mmmkay, stealing is bad, animal lending laws, landlord laws, some laws about boats, lots of farming stuff, water rights, and perhaps most interesting were the laws pertaining to marriage.

Basically it was understood that the man had a responsibility to take care of his wife and if he wasn’t able to she was entitled to certain things including remarriage depending on circumstances. Also though, she was expected to put out children and if she couldn’t do that he could get a second wife or concubine. There’s also several laws pertaining to when a woman dies, how her “marriage portion” is divided among her father or her children depending on other circumstances. It isn’t specified what the marriage portion is.

I found it interesting that although their roles were very gendered and women were certainly not treated equally, there certainly were many rights afforded to women that other ancient societies didn’t necessarily afford. I like how, if her husband dies, her children have to take care of her.

In the laws about property rights, three main possessions are listed repeatedly: a man’s garden, a man’s house, and a man’s field. These were fundamental and couldn’t be requisitioned to pay for his debts unless he was a foreigner.

All in all I think there is a lot here worth reading. It’s of great historical importance (the heavy influence it had on Mosaic Law is pretty apparent), and it only take an hour and a half. There’s an audiobook too.

sblake33's review

2.0

Not a book you would read for enjoyment, but still a good to read if you are majoring in world history or criminal justice. The code is basically an eye for an eye, while someone are pretty much the same now as it was before, I just felt like some crimes deserved more punishment. Like if a son where to hit his father the son would have his fingers cut off, but if a man where to hit a woman which caused a miscarriage he would have to pay her money, which to me that man deserves to have his fingers cut off. But anyway as I said not a book you pick up for enjoyment but it is an enlightening read.

medusax0's review

2.0

Not a book you would read for enjoyment, but still a good to read if you are majoring in world history or criminal justice. The code is basically an eye for an eye, while someone are pretty much the same now as it was before, I just felt like some crimes deserved more punishment. Like if a son where to hit his father the son would have his fingers cut off, but if a man where to hit a woman which caused a miscarriage he would have to pay her money, which to me that man deserves to have his fingers cut off. But anyway as I said not a book you pick up for enjoyment but it is an enlightening read.

beendeadtwice's review against another edition

4.0

The strong who harm the weak shall be put to death.

blueyorkie's review against another edition

4.0

Hammurabi remained in power thanks to his tenacity and great political ability, knowing how to take advantage of the best possible game of skill through pacts and alliances with contemporary kings. One of his first concerns was the implementation of law and order in the country, foundations that led to the internal unity of his kingdom. With great patience, self-mastery, and much political tact, he builds, through his victories and achievements, piece by piece, his vast empire. The critical feature in Hammurabi's reign is righteousness (justice, this contemporary thereof). He demonstrated a great effort to make justice reign, and any citizen had the right to appeal to the king. In the time of Hammurabi, centralism reached its peak. It will preserve the Code's Text in almost all of it, which scraped and lost 35 to 40 legal articles. Laws to punish possible crimes committed during the judicial process (1-5). The rules that regulate the patrimonial right (6-126). And if the dead were the son, the law of retaliation applies (117) - Laws governing family law and inheritance (127-195). Laws to Punish Bodily Injury (196-214) Were the laws of bodily harm only the same as equals? The rules that regulate the rights and duties of individual classes: Doctors (215-223). Veterinarians (224-225). Barbers (226-227). Bricklayers (228-233). Boatmen (234-240). The laws regulate prices and wages (241-277).
That part of the code is about regulating the entire labour market. New laws governing the possession of enslaved people (278-282) Established specific rules concerning enslaved people.
The emphasis gave to theft, agriculture, cattle ranching, property damage, murder, death and injury. The punishment or penalty is different for each class. Laws do not tolerate excuses or explanations for errors or failures: the code was freely displayed in plain sight so that no one could plead ignorance of the law as an excuse. However, few people knew how to read at that time.

mikuthemuso's review

2.0

The most interesting parts of this text were the mention of women, corn , God, and slaves. A lot of mention of agriculture which I found interesting, the corn reminds me of Mexican Aztec culture. The polytheism and devotional content at the beginning and the end remind me of the Bhagavata Purana and the Vedas. Slaves reminds me of Israelite Torah. There's bits and pieces of information, but most of all, it is simply a lawbook. It is not an anthropological study on anything. I found Leviticus much more interesting, as its a book of rituals for priests.

simonvv's review

Ancient law text, all hiding several small stories with a bad ending. One cannot imagine why these have been written down.