Gavin Howe
The Code of Ur-Nammu, created around 2100 BCE, is the oldest known surviving law code. It was written in Mesopotamia, in the Sumerian language, and is attributed to the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi of Ur. The code contains 57 laws, including regulations on divorce, adultery, and sorcery. However, Hammurabi's Code, created by the Babylonian Empire around 1750 BCE, is often recognized as the first known code of laws due to its detail and fairness in differentiating between the rights of free citizens and slaves.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Civilization | Sumerian Empire |
| First written law code | Code of Ur-Nammu |
| Date | c. 2100-2050 BCE |
| Author | King Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi |
| Number of laws | 57 |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Format | Cuneiform tablets |
| Location | Iraq |
| Contents | Laws on divorce, sorcery, adultery, inheritance, etc. |
| Other | Refers to deities Nanna and Utu |
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What You'll Learn
Code of Ur-Nammu, the oldest known surviving law code
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, dating back to around 2100-2050 BCE. It originates from Mesopotamia, written in the Sumerian language on tablets in cuneiform. The code was issued by King Ur-Nammu of Ur, who established the Third Dynasty of Ur in Sumer, also known as the Ur III Period or the Sumerian Renaissance.
The prologue of the code, typical of Mesopotamian law codes, invokes the deities Nanna and Utu for Ur-Nammu's kingship and decrees "equity in the land". Ur-Nammu is described as a mighty warrior and king of Ur, Sumer, and Akkad, who banished malediction, violence, and strife. He also standardised weights and measures, such as the one-mina weight and the stone weight of a shekel of silver. The code reflects Ur-Nammu's vision of law and order, presenting himself as the father of his people, encouraging his subjects to see themselves as one family, and his laws as the rules of a home.
The Code of Ur-Nammu consists of 57 laws, arranged in a casuistic form of "if (crime), then (punishment)". Punishments for most crimes took the form of fines, with the exception of capital offences such as murder, robbery, adultery, and rape. The code also includes provisions for divorce, sorcery, and disputes related to marriage contracts and estate problems.
While the code was issued under Ur-Nammu's name, it is speculated that it may have been published by his son, Shulgi, after Ur-Nammu's death. Shulgi's successors further developed the code, influencing later legal codes such as the Laws of Eshnunna and the laws decreed under the reign of Lipit-Ishtar. The Code of Ur-Nammu is significant as it represents the earliest known attempt to create a standardised set of laws applicable to all people, regardless of social status.
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Code of Urukagina, the earliest law code from Mesopotamia
The Code of Urukagina, dating back to the 24th century BCE, is the earliest known law code from Mesopotamia. While the original text has not survived to the present day, references to it in other ancient works have helped scholars understand its significance.
The Code of Urukagina is believed to have set a precedent for the structure of subsequent law codes. It followed the casuistic form of "if-(crime), then-(punishment)", which was later emulated by other legal texts. Notably, it introduced the concept of fines as monetary compensation for bodily harm, marking a departure from the "eye for an eye" principle of Babylonian law. However, murder, robbery, adultery, and rape were still considered capital offences.
This ancient law code offers valuable insights into the societal structure of its time. It reveals a hierarchical organisation, with the "lu-gal" or "great man" at the top, followed by two primary strata: the "lu", or free people, and slaves, who were differentiated by gender as arad for males and geme for females. The Code of Urukagina also sheds light on the changing status of women, with provisions for different stages of a woman's life, from daughter (dumu-mi) to wife (dam), and widow (nu-ma-su), who was allowed to remarry.
The Code of Urukagina, as the earliest known law code, laid the foundation for the development of legal systems in ancient civilisations. It served as a precursor to other influential codes, such as the Code of Ur-Nammu, which is the oldest surviving law code, and the Code of Hammurabi, which had a significant impact on the laws of other civilisations, including the Mosaic Law of the Bible.
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Code of Hammurabi, one of the oldest deciphered writings
The Code of Hammurabi is one of the oldest deciphered writings, composed between 1755 and 1750 BC. It is a Babylonian legal text written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian. The code is named after Hammurabi, the sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon, who reigned from 1792 or 1795 to 1750 BC. Hammurabi's Code of Laws is a collection of 282 rules that established standards for commercial interactions and set fines and punishments to meet the requirements of justice. The code includes harsh punishments, such as demanding the removal of the guilty party's tongue, hands, breasts, eyes, or ears. However, it also includes the concept of innocent until proven guilty.
The Code of Hammurabi is known for its broad scope, covering areas such as criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law. It is considered one of the most complete and well-organized legal texts from the ancient Near East. The text is written in the "'if-then' conditional sentence structure, which is characteristic of casuistic laws. The code was compiled at the end of Hammurabi's reign and is inscribed on a massive, finger-shaped black stone stele (pillar) made of diorite. This stele was looted by invaders and rediscovered in 1901 at the site of Susa in present-day Iran.
The stele features an image in relief of Hammurabi with Shamash, the Babylonian sun god and god of justice. Below the relief are about 4,130 lines of cuneiform text, with one-fifth containing a prologue and epilogue in poetic style and the remaining four-fifths containing the laws. The prologue claims that Hammurabi's rule was granted by the gods to protect the weak from the strong and to ensure justice for widows and orphans. This theme of justice is also reflected in the word "ešērum," which appears throughout the text and is translated as "justice."
The Code of Hammurabi was not the first written Mesopotamian law collection, as several earlier collections written in Sumerian and Akkadian have been discovered. However, it is considered a pioneering work in the history of law, influencing the laws of other civilizations, including the Mosaic Law of the Bible. It is also notable for its complexity, reflecting the advanced nature of Old Babylonian society.
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Code of Lipit-Ishtar, influenced by Ur-Nammu's code
The Code of Ur-Nammu, written in Mesopotamia around 2100–2050 BCE, is the oldest known surviving law code. It was written in Sumerian, on tablets, and contained strong statements of royal power. The code is attributed to King Ur-Nammu of Ur, who established the Third Dynasty of Ur, also known as the Sumerian Renaissance.
The Code of Lipit-Ishtar is a collection of laws promulgated by Lipit-Ishtar, ruler of Lower Mesopotamia, and is the second-oldest known extant legal code after the Code of Ur-Nammu. It is written in the Sumerian language using cuneiform script. The Code of Lipit-Ishtar is similar in structure to the Code of Ur-Nammu, with a prologue that justifies its legal authority, a main body containing civil and penal laws, and a concluding epilogue. Lipit-Ishtar is praised in the prologue for having freed slaves from Nippur, Ur, and Isin, and for establishing justice in the land.
The Code of Lipit-Ishtar is more detailed than the Code of Ur-Nammu and paved the way for the famous Code of Hammurabi. It was created primarily to deal with disputes arising from estate problems and inheritance. The code includes provisions such as requiring a man who leaves an uncultivated plot of land next to another's estate to fortify it to prevent intruders and to compensate the owner of the estate for any losses.
The Code of Lipit-Ishtar is also notable for its influence on later legal codes, such as the Laws of Eshnunna (c. 1930 BCE) and the Code of Hammurabi, which would go on to influence the laws of other civilizations, including the Mosaic Law of the Bible.
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Mosaic Law of the Bible, influenced by Hammurabi's code
The Code of Ur-Nammu, written in Sumerian c. 2100–2050 BCE, is the oldest known surviving law code. It was discovered in the form of tablets in the Sumerian language. The code was issued under the name of Ur-Nammu, the king of Ur, but it is believed that they were published by his son, Shulgi, after his death. Shulgi's successors further developed the code, influencing the form and underlying vision of 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 Code of Hammurabi, which influenced the Mosaic Law of the Bible.
The Code of Hammurabi is an ancient Mesopotamian series of laws that predate Moses by about a thousand years. It is believed that the god Shamash gave Hammurabi his law code so that people could get along with one another. The Code of Hammurabi is believed to have influenced the Mosaic Law, as there are similarities between the two legislative systems. However, critics argue that the Mosaic Law is more compassionate and has a unique spiritual dimension.
The Mosaic Law, or the Law of Moses, was recorded by Moses for the Israelites in 1440 BC, about 300 years after Hammurabi. The Mosaic Law is unique in its strong emphasis on spiritual matters and its elevation of the value of human life. For example, in the Code of Hammurabi, the consequence for theft is to repay ten- to thirty-fold, and if that's not possible, the thief is executed. In contrast, the Mosaic Law gives strong emphasis to the recognition of sin as the cause of a nation's downfall.
While some scholars, such as Prof. David Wright, argue that the Mosaic Law was "directly, primarily, and throughout dependent upon the Laws of Hammurabi," others refute this claim, highlighting the significant differences between the two law codes. The debate centres around whether Hammurabi's code undermines the divine authenticity of the Mosaic Law, with some arguing that Hammurabi may have been exposed to some of the laws later documented by Moses in the Torah.
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Frequently asked questions
The Sumerian King Ur-Nammu of the Sumerian Empire created the first written law code, known as the Code of Ur-Nammu, between 2100 and 2050 BCE.
The code was written on tablets in the Sumerian language and contained 57 laws. The code addressed divorce, sorcery, and adultery. It also established standard weights for the shekel of silver in relation to one mina.
Yes, several other early written law codes exist, including the Code of Urukagina (c. 24th century BCE), the Code of Hammurabi (c. 1750 BCE), the Laws of Eshnunna (c. 1930 BCE), and the Codex of Lipit-Ishtar of Isin (c. 1870 BCE).
