The Napoleon of Babylon

The Napoleon of Babylon

King Hammurabi of Babylon was not
only a powerful ruler and empire builder but a great
law - giver as well. The picture shows the famous
stele or pillar, discovered in 1901, upon which is
inscribed Hammurabi's detailed code of laws.

At about the same time as civilization emerged and developed along the banks of the Nile, another great area of civilization appeared north of what is now called the Persian Gulf, between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. Already by 3000 BC several city states had been established b Sumerians  dark – skinned, non – Semitic people who probably migrated from the east. The Sumerians settled on the flat, fertile plain built up over thousands of years by alluvial deposits from the Euphrates and Tigris flowing southwards into the Persian Gulf. The ruins of Sumerian cities now lie well over a hundred miles north of the Gulf witness to the fact that the sea has for thousands of years been receding as alluvium built up at the single mouth of the rivers.

In the course of time, civilization spread northwards from the old Sumerian cities into what the Greeks later called Mesopotamia (between the rivers), and by 2000 BC the great city of Babylon dominated the Euphrates about 60 miles south of present – day Baghdad. In 180 BC Babylon was the capital city of King Hammurabi, who ranks as one of the greatest law – givers of all time. Hammurabi ruled Babylon for 43 years, during the first 30 years fighting wars against neighbouring peoples to expand the Babylonian empire and establish its supremacy. But when peace came he proved to be even more competent as a law – giver and administrator than as a soldier. His fame as a law – giver arose from the discovery in 1901 of a stone pillar once stolen from Babylon as a war trophy and now exhibited in the Louver, Paris. Finely engraved on the pillar is the code of laws that Hammurabi imposed upon his subjects. Hammurabi’s ability as an administrator and practical man of business is shown in his letters written to officials  in various parts of his empire. The letters, written on clay tablets, and enclosed in clay envelopes, tell us much about the government of Babylon nearly 4,000 years ago. In them Hammurabi instructs his officials on the collection of taxes, on the punishment to be meted out for bribery, or on the procedure for clearing the Euphrates after a flood.

Hydro – engineering works were a special concern of Hammurabi’s and he caused a canal to be constructed linking Kish with the Persian Gulf. It was his proud boast that he brought water, security and good government to the many tribes incorporated into his empire. Below the king, Babylonian society had four main classes: the nobles, the middle class, the poor freemen, and the slaves. All people even slaves – had definite rights laid down by the law. Slaves could marry free people, and on the death of the slave parent the children became free. But the position of slaves was ambiguous. As people they could appeal to the courts to uphold their rights, but in much of Hammurabi’s code they were treated as chattels rather than as people.

The state dealt harshly with poor people who committed offences against nobles. On the other hand, nobles had to pay double for the services they received.

The Babylonian priesthood formed a powerful class active in agriculture, industry and commerce. From wealthy temples they enforced the worship of Marduk, Ishtar and lesser deities. In theory the king was no more than an agent of Marduk. The priests reinforced their power by exploiting the superstitions of the public. They foretold the future by peering at the entrails of sacrificed animals and by interpreting the message of the stars.

In many ways women fared better in Babylon than they did in nineteenth – century Europe. They had citizenship and legal rights quite independently of their husbands, and some even rose to be judges. They kept control over their own money and could own slaves and run businesses in their own right.