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Code Of Hammurabi Essay

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Some of the most fascinating concepts to examine deal with the values of people throughout history in any given society. In order to have a deeper understanding of how the values of ancient civilizations are similar to the modern day, it is helpful to examine documents of civilizations from long ago. The Code of Hammurabi (c. 1754 B.C), one of the oldest written law codes in the world, reveals many principles of the ancient Babylonians. As William Dawson puts it, “Hammurabi decided that one way to glorify his accomplishments, make his empire permanent and demonstrate his divine wisdom for all to see, was to publish his legal decisions and judgments throughout the land” (3). During this time period, the empire’s economy thrived from trade and its agricultural advancement. The Code detailed many laws concerning property, contracts, prices, and …show more content…

Many laws explain the various prices for different services performed depending on an individual’s rank in the hierarchy. An example of this can be found in law 221 which states: “If a physician heal the broken bone or diseased soft part of a man, the patient shall pay the physician five shekels in money” (30). Laws 222 and 223 go on to explain that if the patient were a freed man, he had to pay three shekels. However, if the patient were a slave, his owner would be required to pay two shekels. The difference in pricing may have been an attempt to create a more lenient policy based on the ability to pay. Today, there are set prices for services, such as doctor appointments, which generally do not change between individuals. Entities such as insurance companies and government organizations also provide clients with a fixed fee for any services performed. Although slavery was common during this time period, these laws suggest that Hammurabi’s intent was to establish a system of fair prices based on social status within the

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