HIST 120
June 17, 2013
Chapter 1
1. What was the Mesopotamian view of the afterlife? Life and human fortune was very instable in Mesopotamians’ eyes. People just observed death and afterlife from a distance and some made them into a series of myths. For instance, “The Epic of Gilgamesh” expresses its idea on eventual death. No matter how hard Gilgamesh tries to lengthen his life, his death is predestined. The Mesopotamians viewed afterlife as an inevitable end.
2. What is the message of Siduri’s advice to Gilgamesh?
The message from Siduri to Gilgamesh is that one cannot hurry to the meaning of life. As God assigned us all to our eventually endings, we should be in the best condition to face the reality, death. “You will
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What do humans expect of their gods? * The Gods are more superior beings then men and gave blessings and punishments to humans. On the other hand, humans pay tributes and ask questions to gods. For instance, Gilgamesh continuously asks deities for advices. Mesopotamian deities were more approachable beings rather than inaccessible things. *
6. What specific actions did Hammurabi take in his attempt to provide for the good order of society and the basic welfare of his subjects? * Hammurabi produced the law codes called “Code of Hammurabi” in order to acquire order and welfare. As Hammurabi state in his prologue, “Right and Justice I established in the land, for the good of the people.” (prologue, Hammurabi’s Code) *
7. What was the status of women in this society? Did they enjoy any protection or liberties? * The status of women in Mesopotamia was lower then men. Women enjoyed some protection and liberties, yet not as much as men. *
8. Mesopotamian society had been characterized as a patriarchal society. Does the evidence in this collection of decisions tend to support or refute that judgment? * The Hammurabi code is definitely patriarchal. Most laws in the “Marriage and the family” section starts with an excerpt of “If a man”. This supposes that it is the males who are considered first. The Hammurabi code supports the patriarchal characteristic of Mesopotamian society. Additionally, a property law states
8. Write a paragraph explaining how the cultural epoch theory explains the stability of Egyptian culture for over 2,000 years. What differences do you notice (in your opinion) between Egypt and the Mesopotamian civilizations of Chapter 1?
Around 4,000 years ago Hammurabi’s code was created by Hammurabi the king of Babylonia with the goal of bringing justice to his kingdom. He even claimed that Shamash the god of justice commanded him to make these laws. Then his laws were carved into large stone’s called steles, written in the ancient cuneiform written, and then put up throughout all major communities of Babylonia. However, these ancient laws were not fair for everyone in his kingdom. Hammurabi’s Code was unjust because the laws pertaining to family life, property law, and personal injury were unfair.
Ancient Egyptians were different from the Mesopotamians in their beliefs of the afterlife because Egyptians saw the afterlife
The key similarities between the two waves of civilizations are important and were continued throughout history even further than the empires of the second wave. These similarities included slavery, treatment of women, and the patriarch and monarch rulers; these similarities were intertwined in both waves. Hierarchies of gender declared that women and men were not equal because “to be gendered as masculine or feminine defines the roles and behavior considered appropriate for men and women in every human community.” The hierarchy of gender led to the creation of patriarchy, the concept that women are lesser or subordinate to men in all aspects of life. This idea of patriarchy meant sons were valued more than daughters, men had more opportunities in society and with jobs, the opportunity to rule, and men were the heads of their households. However, this wasn’t true for every society, even in the first civilizations there were cities and groups of people living within some states that allowed women to do what they wanted to do out in society. The Egyptians were a good example of equality as women were legally viewed equal to men. They were able to own land and slaves, initiate divorce, and rarely they would reach the position of queen, the most famous being Hatshepsut. On the more extreme side, in ancient Mesopotamia, patriarchy took root quickly in the form of actual written law. The code of Hammurabi was created in 1750 B.C.E. creating very submissive laws for
In Mesopotamia, Hammurabi equated accomplishments and prosperities to the gods’ intentions. Around 1755 B.C.E., Hammurabi created a law code that dealt with social, economic, and judicial conventions. According to Hammurabi,
There was a king named Hammurabi. He came to power in 1792. He made a code of laws to bring justice to all. He had many laws. Hammurabi’s code was fair since it protected the weak, in law 148 it talks about a husband’s responsibility to his wife “he shall not divorce his wife whom the disease has seized” also, law 168 says that a judge shall decide what is right “if the son has not committed a grave misdemeanor... the father shall not disinherit his son.”
Throughout time, many civilizations have risen and fallen, all of them making their own impressions on the future. Civilizations such as Ancient Mesopotamia evolved over time, becoming more and more advanced. The Ancient Mesopotamians had many groundbreaking achievements and innovations that made them an advanced civilization. These features were in many areas, such as law, technology, and education, among others. Important breakthroughs like these are what made Mesopotamia an advanced and impactful civilization.
Numerous laws in Hammurabi’s Code ensured the protection of the civilization by preventing future conflicts
For the Mesopotamians view of the afterlife was not always a good thing. Mesopotamians did not live a long life they would die at a young age due to the sickness that thee had back then. Mesopotamia is a place that the Mesopotamians believed to be between two rivers. Mesopotamia first got started through a poems and myths that the ancestors told. They also believed that everything has a personality. The Mesopotamians believed that the afterlife death was a descent of the underworld believed to be ruled by the god Nergal. They lived bad lives and their idea about the afterlife resemble the hardness that they will have to face during their present life. They will ¨wasted no times¨ preparing for the afterlife. This is what usually happens to
With some punishments being as harsh as death. Since the Code of Hammurabi had some very strict laws it caused people to be more aware of their actions due to the precautions. It brought civic responsibility among the area by protecting the weak from the strong. This helping create a sense
Life, Death, and Legacy: Mortality and Purpose within Ancient Mesopotamian Cosmology How does humanity come to terms with our mortality? How do we continue to live our lives in the face of impending death? These questions are so central to human existence that mankind's earliest text, The Epic of Gilgamesh, focuses on life and escaping mortality. The literature contemplates death, legacy, and the principles of a life well lived as it follows King Gilgamesh's, the legendary Babylonian, pursuit of renown and eternal life. The Epic of Gilgamesh characterizes death as inevitable and unstoppable; quests for immortality will fail.
The code of Hammurabi is a code of laws created by the Babylonian king, Hammurabi. The laws were enacted in 1750 B.C. The code of Hammurabi consisted of 282 laws that cover a wide variety of material. These set of laws formed a sense of justice for the people. The laws were written for the people who were under the rule of Hammurabi. They provide a great amount of information on how the ancient people of mesopotamia, such as,their class system and what was expected of them.
As we look into Hammurabi’s code; which is described as being the first evidence of written law. We realize how laws have helped with the creation of improved social and moral obligation overall. Though Hammurabi’s laws were perhaps more tailored to the rich, it did bring about a sense of equality. This was made evident by the shift of power from one individual who ruled; to a group considered the legal establishment.
As we have learned from history, women generally do not have the same equal rights as men do. In fact, it is rare to find a time in history, where both men and women were seen as equal people and given the same rights. During this course, we have studied several civilizations that do not practice equality for both genders. One primary example is the Athenian Civilization and how their women did not have natural rights, they were seen as housewives, and their husbands decided their freedom. This image of women is one that is constantly seen throughout history, and can even be found in some societies in today’s world.
Firstly, the legal status of Mesopotamian women was, to a great degree, diverse and unjustifiable contrasted with ancient Egyptian women. The poorer women in Mesopotamia were not recognized, as the ones who were richer and famous, were protected legally. Richer women and men enjoyed the same legal rights Mesopotamian women were restricted from many activities that men were able to do. Women could not participate in law cases as a