Anaya Nolan
The Code of Ur-Nammu, written c. 2100–2050 BCE, is the oldest known surviving law code. It was authored by Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi. The code is written on tablets in Sumerian cuneiform and features a casuistic form of IF (crime) THEN (punishment). The Code of Ur-Nammu is centuries older than the famous Code of Hammurabi, which was inscribed by the Babylonian king Hammurabi around 1755 BCE. Hammurabi's Code is the longest, best-preserved, and best-organized legal text from the ancient Near East. It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian and consists of about 4,130 lines of cuneiform text.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Civilization | Mesopotamia |
| Earliest known surviving law code | Code of Ur-Nammu |
| Date | c. 2100–2050 BC |
| Author | King Ur-Nammu of Ur |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Format | Tablets |
| Number of laws | 57 |
| Content | Strong statements of royal power, e.g. "I eliminated enmity, violence, and cries for justice." |
| Legacy | Influenced later codes such as the Laws of Eshnunna and the Code of Hammurabi |
| Later codes influenced | Code of Hammurabi, Mosaic Law of the Bible |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known written law
The Code of Ur-Nammu is a collection of 57 laws written on tablets in cuneiform script. Only 30 of the 57 laws have been fully reconstructed. The tablets were discovered in several locations, including Nippur, Ur, Sippar, and Iraq. The first fragments were translated by Samuel Noah Kramer in 1952, and additional tablets found in Ur in 1965 allowed for the reconstruction of more laws.
The code instituted fines and monetary compensation for bodily harm, a departure from the "eye for an eye" principle of Babylonian law. However, crimes such as murder, robbery, adultery, and rape were punishable by death. The laws also addressed social issues, such as divorce, sorcery, and the rights of widows and orphans. For example, if a man accused another man's wife of adultery and the accusation was proven false, the accuser had to pay a fine.
The prologue of the code invokes the deities Nanna and Utu and decrees "equity in the land." It also contains statements of royal power, such as "I eliminated enmity, violence, and cries for justice." The code provides insight into the societal structure of the time, revealing a stratified society with free people ("lu") and slaves ("arad" for males and "geme" for females).
The Code of Ur-Nammu is significant because it is the oldest known written law, predating the famous Code of Hammurabi by several centuries. It offers valuable insights into the legal, social, and cultural practices of ancient Mesopotamia and the Sumerian Renaissance.
Net Neutrality Law: A Historical Perspective
You may want to see also
Explore related products
It was written in Sumerian c. 2100–2050 BC
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, written in Sumerian c. 2100–2050 BC. It was written by the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu or his son Shulgi of Ur. The code is from Mesopotamia and is written on tablets in the Sumerian language. The Code of Ur-Nammu is centuries older than the famous Code of Hammurabi, which was inscribed by the Babylonian king Hammurabi.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is made up of 57 laws that were issued under the king's name. It is the oldest extant law code in the world, with only a prologue and five of the laws still discernible. The laws are arranged in a casuistic form of "IF (crime) THEN (punishment)", a pattern followed in nearly all later codes. For example, in the Code of Ur-Nammu, if a man accused another man's wife of adultery and the river ordeal proved her innocent, then the accuser had to pay one-third of a mina of silver.
Ur-Nammu established the Third Dynasty of Ur in Sumer, also referenced as the Sumerian Renaissance. He presented himself as the father of his people, encouraging his subjects to think of themselves as one family and of his laws as the rules of a home. Ur-Nammu's code reveals a glimpse at societal structure during Ur's Third Dynasty. All members of society belonged to one of two basic strata: the lu or free person, or the slave (male: arad; female: geme). Ur-Nammu's code also institutes fines of monetary compensation for bodily damage, as opposed to the later lex talionis ('an eye for an eye') principle of Babylonian law.
The First Written Law: Ancient Civilizations' Legacy
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Ur-Nammu was king of Ur and the author of the code
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, dating back to around 2100–2050 BCE. It was written in the Sumerian language on tablets and is from Mesopotamia. The code is attributed to King Ur-Nammu of Ur, who ruled from 2047 to 2030 BCE. Ur-Nammu was a mighty warrior and king of Ur, Sumer, and Akkad. He is credited with establishing equity and justice in his kingdom, eliminating violence and strife, and standardizing weights and measures.
The code consists of 57 laws, 30 of which have been fully reconstructed. It is written in a casuistic form, with a clear structure of "if (crime), then (punishment)". This pattern would be followed in many subsequent legal codes. The Code of Ur-Nammu is considered advanced for its time, as it institutes fines and monetary compensation for bodily harm instead of following the "eye for an eye" principle of Babylonian law. However, capital crimes such as murder, robbery, adultery, and rape were still punished by death.
The code also reveals the societal structure during the Sumerian Renaissance or Ur's Third Dynasty. Society was divided into two basic strata: the "lu" or free people, and slaves. The son of a "lu" was called a "dumu-nita" until he married and became a "young man" or "gurus". A woman progressed from being a daughter ("dumu-mi") to a wife ("dam") and, if she outlived her husband, a widow ("nu-ma-su") who could remarry.
The Code of Ur-Nammu also includes provisions for specific situations, such as divorce and accusations of sorcery or adultery. For example, if a man divorces his first-time wife, he must pay her one mina of silver, while divorcing a widow only requires half a mina. If a man accuses another man's wife of adultery and she is proven innocent, the accuser must pay one-third of a mina of silver.
The code was discovered in Iraq in 1948 and first translated by Samuel Noah Kramer in 1952. However, only the prologue and five of the laws were discernible due to partial preservation. Further tablets discovered in Ur in 1965 allowed for the reconstruction of around 30 to 40 of the 57 laws. The Code of Ur-Nammu is a valuable glimpse into the legal and societal structures of ancient Mesopotamia and the vision of King Ur-Nammu for his kingdom.
The Grand Apartheid Laws: A Historical Overview
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The code features 57 laws, including fines for bodily damage
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, dating back to c. 2100–2050 BC. It was established by King Ur-Nammu of Ur, and written in Sumerian on tablets. The code is considered advanced for its time, as it institutes fines for bodily damage, instead of following the 'eye for an eye' principle of Babylonian law. Murder, robbery, adultery, and rape, however, were capital offences.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is arranged in a casuistic form, with the crime stated first, followed by the punishment. For instance, if a man knocks out another man's tooth, he must pay two shekels of silver. If a man knocks out the eye of another man, he shall weigh out half a mina of silver. If a man cuts off another man's foot, he is to pay ten shekels, and so on.
The code also contains statements of royal power, such as "I eliminated enmity, violence, and cries for justice". It also reveals a glimpse of the societal structure during Ur's Third Dynasty. Below the king, all members of society were either free people or slaves.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is three centuries older than the more well-known Code of Hammurabi, which was established by the first king of Babylon, Hammurabi. Hammurabi was known for his fair laws and style of ruling. He wanted his people to obey his laws out of respect, not fear.
The Great Law of Peace: A Historical Overview
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Later codes such as the Code of Hammurabi were influenced by it
The Code of Hammurabi, developed during the reign of Hammurabi, the first king of Babylon, is widely regarded as a significant influence on later codes and legal systems. Hammurabi's code consisted of 282 case laws encompassing various aspects of life, including economic provisions, family law, criminal law, and civil law.
The Code of Hammurabi was influenced by earlier law codes, such as the Code of Ur-Nammu, which is the oldest known surviving law code from Mesopotamia, written in the Sumerian language around 2100-2050 BCE. The Code of Ur-Nammu established a structure for laws by arranging them in a casuistic "if-then" format, which was followed by many subsequent codes, including Hammurabi's.
The Code of Hammurabi shared similarities with earlier codes, such as upholding the "`one crime, one punishment` principle." However, it also introduced more severe punishments, focusing on physically punishing offenders rather than compensating victims, as seen in earlier codes. This shift in focus towards harsher penalties may have been a response to the diverse population Hammurabi ruled over, aiming to ensure everyone understood and adhered to his laws.
Later codes, such as the Middle Assyrian Laws, Neo-Babylonian Laws, and Mosaic Law, followed a similar model to Hammurabi's code, providing objective and universal directives on how individuals should interact in a civilized society. The influence of Hammurabi's code extended beyond Mesopotamia, with some scholars suggesting it influenced the Greek Gortyn Code and the Roman Twelve Tables, though the extent of this influence is debated.
The Code of Hammurabi's impact on later codes is significant, as it contributed to the development of legal systems that aimed to provide clear guidelines for behaviour and interaction in society, moving beyond tribal customs and towards a more unified and stable social order.
Who Makes the Laws?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known surviving law code, written c. 2100-2050 BCE.
Ur-Nammu was the Sumerian king of Ur and the author of the Code of Ur-Nammu. He established the Third Dynasty of Ur in Sumer, also known as the Sumerian Renaissance.
The code consisted of 57 laws, with strong statements of royal power, such as "I eliminated enmity, violence, and cries for justice". The laws were arranged in a casuistic form of "IF (crime) THEN (punishment)", a pattern followed in nearly all later codes.
