Why were the Hammurabi codes established?

Question

This is my take? Anyone disagree or agree?

Hammurabi was the sixth king of Babylon and gained control over Mesopotamia by winning wars against nearby kingdoms. This is a lot of land for one king to handle and harsher laws were needed to keep all his subjects in check. Harsh laws with many chances to be killed could have a great impact on the crime rate.

Answer 1

I agree! I am studying Ancient Mesopotamia too and this is right on! It is wonderfully written and yet brief. Love your explanation!

Good luck in la escuela!

Answer 2

Hammurabi believed law should be applied equally.  So he wrote it down.  

Unfortunately his take on "equal" was off.  His law code was based upon WHO did what to WHOM.    If a peasant killed a member of the royal family the punishment was death.  But if a member of the royal family killed a peasant the punishment was a fine.   It was not the crime that was important but the people who were involved.

The Law of the Torah was a big step forward.  The people involved no longer were the major factor but the crime itself.  Murder was murder.

Unfortunately the USA is going away from the Law of the Torah and back to the Code of Hammurabi.   It is no longer the murder that is important,  it is the fact that a straight guy killed a g*y guy that becomes the most important aspect of the crime.  

If you are a straight white guy and you kill a g*y black woman cop,  you are really hosed.