A2 RIHLA #2

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1) Hammurabi tried to create some sort of fairness and justice by creating the law “an eye for an eye.” His attempts were, for example, making people pay for damages they have done and punishing those who have committed crimes.

2) Evidence of class is that people have to pay for damages based on what class the person is in. For example, if a person breaks another person’s leg, then the one that broke it would have to pay a certain amount based on what class they belong to. If the person were lower than your rank, you would pay a certain fee. If the person were the same rank as you, then your leg would be broken. However, if the person is a higher rank than you, then the payment is severe.

3) Women were almost as low a rank as slaves. They had minimal protection and liberties under the law. They cannot own land unless their husbands left it in their will and cannot live by themselves because the laws show that if they divorced, then they shall return with their father. Also, they were not allowed to cheat on their husbands, but their husbands could, and at times, keep them as slaves on certain conditions.

4) Children had protection and liberties, but sons had more than the daughters. For example, only the males could inherit their father’s land. Their rank also depended on the rank of their parents. If they were children of slaves, then they would not be as protected as children from free people.

5) Mesopotamian society was dominated by male heads of households and this supports it because they are the ones that could own land and take place under the law. Also, they had more protection than women and children.

6) The rules reveal that men were the head of the household. Also, women were supposed to remain faithful housewives, while men were still allowed to be married to two women at the same time. It shows that they were sexist and stereotypes, since they judged people’s value by class.

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