How does Hammurabi's Code reflect Babylonian society?

Hammurabi's Code is encoded by Hammurabi, king of Babylon, which dates back to 1754 B.C. As a well-preserved and relatively complete code of law known to the whole world, Hammurabi's Code is of substantial importance for people to get to know Babylonian society at that time. It is a reflection of the social situations of Babylonian society, anticipation of Babylonian people for equality and justice, as well as a manifestation to God of the spectacular achievements of King Hammurabi.

In terms of the social structure, especially the class division, I think Hammurabi's Code confirms the existence of class divisions. They are the nobles (government officials, officials, priests, and warriors), the class of freemen (professionals, merchants and wealthy farmers) as well as the lower class of slaves. Taken the provision 196 to 199 as an example, it is not difficult to find the class prejudice existing in Babylonian society then. As the provision 196 states, “if a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out”, it is clear in this provision that if a man offends someone of his equal in social class, he has to suffer the same. But in provision 198 “if he put out the eye of a freed man, or break the bone of a freed man, he shall pay one gold mina”, we know that if a man does harm to someone of lower class than him, he only needs to pay some money, which is more obvious in the provision 199 about slaves. As it states, “if he put out the eye of a man’s slave, or break the bone of a man’s slave, he shall pay one-half of its value”, slaves are supposed to be much humbler than those freemen and men.

Hammurabi's Code is also an embodiment of King Hammurabi’s strengthened efforts to create a prosperous state with order and peace. Great importance is attached to wealth and rights of men which are an indispensible part of a state and its people’s well-being. From the provision 6 “if any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death”, it is apparent that the punishment is pretty severe if the offense is made against property. Pervasive is the death penalty concerning crimes made against man’s property, from which we can witness the tough determination of King Hammurabi to bring Babylonian society into order, peace and prosperity.

Apart from those mentioned above, Hammurabi's Code also denotes some religious or superstitious elements, which further implies that people then in Babylonian society are not so civilized and have some dependence on superstition. As stated in provision 2 “if any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser”, we know that Babylonian civilization still turns to the divinities for justice, which now we think is unjustifiable, but it is the product of historical and social circumstances at that time.

Moreover, Hammurabi's Code still concerns issues about marriage. It is obvious that monogamy is a basic rule people need to abide by in Babylonian society where loyalty to marriage is highly emphasized. Take the provision 128 to 131 as an example. As stated in the provision 131 “if a man bring a charge against one’s wife, but she is not surprised with another man, she must take an oath and then may return to her house”, women’s rights are to some extent confirmed by the Code. Despite that the Code protects women in some respects, but the marriage itself is not equal, placing women into a subordinate position to their husbands.

  Aspects mentioned above are only a part of what Hammurabi's Code reflects about the Babylonian society. There is still a great deal more for people to discover and think over.


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