Keith Mack
The Code of Ur-Nammu, written in Mesopotamia around 2100-2050 BCE, is the oldest known surviving law code. It was written by Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi. The code is written on tablets in the Sumerian language and contains strong statements of royal power. The Code of Ur-Nammu is followed by the Code of Hammurabi, written by Babylonian king Hammurabi around 1755-1750 BCE. Hammurabi's code is the longest, best-preserved, and best-organized legal text from the ancient Near East.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the code | Code of Ur-Nammu |
| Civilization | Sumerian Empire |
| Date | c. 2100–2050 BC |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Number of laws | 57 |
| Format | Cuneiform tablets |
| Author | King Ur-Nammu of Ur or his son Shulgi |
| Content | Strong statements of royal power, fines of monetary compensation for bodily damage, capital punishment for murder, robbery, adultery, and rape |
| Legacy | Influenced the Code of Hammurabi and the Mosaic Law of the Bible |
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What You'll Learn
- The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving code of laws
- It was written in Mesopotamia c. 2100-2050 BC
- The code was written by Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi
- The code contains 57 laws, including fines for bodily damage
- Later codes such as the Code of Hammurabi were influenced by the Code of Ur-Nammu
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving code of laws
The Code of Ur-Nammu consists of 57 laws, 30 of which have been fully reconstructed. These laws were written on tablets using cuneiform script, with the first copy being discovered in two fragments at Nippur, in modern-day Iraq. The tablets feature a prologue that invokes the deities Nanna and Utu for Ur-Nammu's kingship and decrees "equity in the land". The code also contains statements of royal power, such as "I eliminated enmity, violence, and cries for justice."
The laws themselves are structured in a casuistic form, following the pattern of "if (crime), then (punishment)". This structure would go on to influence nearly all subsequent legal codes. For example, if a man knocked out another man's tooth, he would be required to pay two shekels of silver in compensation. Additionally, the code provides insights into societal structure during the Sumerian Renaissance, revealing a stratified society with a king at the top, followed by free people and slaves.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is significant because it represents the earliest known extant legal text, predating the famous Code of Hammurabi by three centuries. It offers valuable insights into the societal norms, values, and legal practices of ancient Mesopotamia, shaping the development of legal systems in later civilizations.
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It was written in Mesopotamia c. 2100-2050 BC
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, written c. 2100–2050 BC in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). It is written in the Sumerian language on clay tablets in cuneiform script. The tablets were discovered in Nippur and are currently held at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums. The Code of Ur-Nammu was written by the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi of Ur. It is believed that Shulgi further developed the code after his father's death.
The code consists of 57 laws, which are arranged in a casuistic form: "IF (crime) THEN (punishment)". This pattern was followed in nearly all later codes. The Code of Ur-Nammu includes strong statements of royal power, such as "I eliminated enmity, violence, and cries for justice". It also contains various regulations, such as fines for divorce, adultery, and sorcery accusations. For example, if a man accused another man's wife of adultery and the river ordeal proved her innocent, the accuser had to pay one-third of a mina of silver.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is an important historical source, providing valuable insights into the societal structure and legal system of Mesopotamia during the Third Dynasty of Ur. It is believed to have influenced later codes, such as the Laws of Eshnunna (c. 1930 BCE) and the Code of Hammurabi, which was written by the Babylonian king Hammurabi around 1750 BCE.
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The code was written by Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, written in Mesopotamia in the Sumerian language around 2100–2050 BC. It is written on tablets in cuneiform, with strong statements of royal power, such as "I eliminated enmity, violence, and cries for justice." The code is arranged in a casuistic form of "if (crime), then (punishment)", a pattern followed in nearly all subsequent codes. It also reveals the societal structure of Ur's Third Dynasty, with the king, or "great man", at the top, followed by the lu or free person, and then the slave.
The code's preface directly credits the laws to King Ur-Nammu of Ur (2112–2095 BC). However, some scholars and historians attribute the code to Ur-Nammu's son, Shulgi, who may have published the code after his father's death. Shulgi of Ur (r. 2029-1982 BCE) is considered the greatest king and further developed the code, which influenced later codes such as the Laws of Eshnunna (c. 1930 BCE) and the laws decreed under Lipit-Ishtar (c. 1870 to c. 1860 BCE). These codes, in turn, served as a model for the famous Code of Hammurabi.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is considered advanced for its time, as it institutes fines of monetary compensation for bodily damage instead of the "eye for an eye" principle of Babylonian law. However, murder, robbery, adultery, and rape were capital offenses. The code also includes provisions for divorce, sorcery, and bridal presents. For example, if a man divorces his first-time wife, he must pay her one mina of silver, while divorcing a widow would require half a mina of silver. If a man is accused of sorcery and proven innocent, his accuser must pay three shekels.
The discovery of the Code of Ur-Nammu was a result of luck, as Samuel Noah Kramer, who translated the code in 1952, almost missed the tablet altogether. Only the prologue and five of the laws were discernible from the partially preserved tablet. Two further tablet fragments found in Ur and translated in 1965 allowed for the reconstruction of around 30 of the 57 laws. These fragments are held at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad.
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The code contains 57 laws, including fines for bodily damage
The Code of Ur-Nammu, written around 2100-2050 BCE, is the oldest known surviving law code. It is from ancient Mesopotamia, written in the Sumerian language on clay tablets in cuneiform. The code was authored by Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi. Shulgi is also believed to have published the code after his father's death. The code instituted fines for bodily damage, unlike the later '"eye for an eye" principle of Babylonian law.
The Code of Ur-Nammu contains 57 laws, of which only 30 could be reconstructed from the available fragments. The code was discovered in the form of two fragments of a tablet at Nippur, in what is now Iraq. These fragments are held at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums. The laws are arranged in a casuistic form of IF (crime) THEN (punishment), a pattern followed in nearly all later codes. The code includes fines of monetary compensation for bodily damage and capital punishment for offences like murder, robbery, adultery, and rape.
Some examples of the Code of Ur-Nammu are as follows:
- If a man divorces his first-time wife, he shall pay her one mina of silver.
- If a man divorces a widow, he shall pay half a mina of silver.
- If a man accuses another man's wife of adultery, and the river ordeal proves her innocent, the accuser must pay one-third of a mina of silver.
- If a prospective son-in-law is rejected by the father-in-law in favour of another man, the father-in-law shall return double the amount of bridal presents brought by the rejected suitor.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is an important historical document that offers valuable insights into the societal structure and legal system of ancient Mesopotamia. It is a testament to the efforts of King Ur-Nammu to establish equity and justice in his kingdom.
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Later codes such as the Code of Hammurabi were influenced by the Code of Ur-Nammu
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, written in Mesopotamia in the Sumerian language around 2100–2050 BCE. It was written by Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or possibly by his son Shulgi. The code is arranged in a casuistic form of "IF (crime) THEN (punishment)", a pattern followed in nearly all later codes. The laws covered both civil and criminal matters, with the latter including capital offences such as murder, robbery, adultery, and rape. The code also specified fines for crimes, which were to be paid in silver.
The Code of Hammurabi, on the other hand, was established later, around 1772 BCE, in Babylon. It is considered to be an adaptation of earlier law codes, including the Code of Ur-Nammu. The Code of Hammurabi is famous for being written on a large stele that was put on public display for all to see. This is in contrast to the Code of Ur-Nammu, which seems to have been written only on tablets, making knowledge of it limited to the upper classes.
The Code of Hammurabi consists of about 4,130 lines of cuneiform text, with a prologue and epilogue written in a poetic style. The remaining text contains the laws, which cover a broad range of topics, including criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law. Like the Code of Ur-Nammu, the Code of Hammurabi also follows the "one crime, one punishment" principle. The Code of Hammurabi is also known for its ""eye for an eye" principle, which calls for reciprocal punishment. This principle was also present in the Code of Ur-Nammu, although the penalties were less severe.
The influence of the Code of Ur-Nammu on the Code of Hammurabi is evident in their similar structure, content, and underlying principles. Both codes feature prologues, and both uphold the "one crime, one punishment" principle. The cases covered and the language used are also strikingly similar. Additionally, the Code of Hammurabi may have been influenced by the scribal tradition of copying earlier law collections, including the Code of Ur-Nammu.
In conclusion, the Code of Hammurabi, which is considered the first known code of laws, was influenced by the earlier Code of Ur-Nammu. The Code of Hammurabi adapted and built upon the structure and principles established by the Code of Ur-Nammu, and it went on to influence the laws of other civilizations as well.
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Frequently asked questions
The Sumerian Empire, also known as the Ur-Namma Sumerian Empire, is credited with writing the first known code of laws, called the Code of Ur-Nammu, which was written around 2100-2050 BCE.
The author of the Code of Ur-Nammu is believed to be King Ur-Nammu of Ur, or possibly his son Shulgi.
The Code of Ur-Nammu covered a range of topics, including divorce, adultery, and monetary compensation for bodily damage. It also established standards for weights and measures, such as the one-mina weight and the stone weight of silver.
The Code of Ur-Nammu was discovered in 1952 by Samuel Noah Kramer, who found two fragments of a tablet in Nippur, located in modern-day Iraq.
The Code of Ur-Nammu served as a model for later legal codes, such as the Laws of Eshnunna (c. 1930 BCE) and the Code of Hammurabi, which was created by Hammurabi's Babylonian Empire and is also considered a significant early legal code.
