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The Code of Hammurabi and The Twelve Tables In ancient history, two of the most influential law codes emerged as the Code of Hammurabi and the Twelve Tables. Early in Mesopotamian history, the most complete code of law was the code of Hammurabi, created by King Hammurabi. He brought together the city-states of Sumeria and unified them together as one. In the Roman Republic, a law code known as the Twelve Tables was created by a panel of Roman men to unify the two social classes known as the plebeians' and the patricians. Both codes of law were created to better govern the laws and well being of its people. As differences and rivals grew between its people these two codes of law were proven to bring about some degree of fairness and order. In the times of early Mesopotamia, the city-states in Sumeria, Sumner and Akkad especially, shared common ways of living but were at constant war with each other. They fought for economic reasons such as; raw materials, land, and even gods. The city-states would go through periods of economic growth and well being of their communities only to be attacked by outsiders time and time again. By 1700 BC, the Sumerian way of life was back on top, only to be lost again by the invasion of new Semetic invaders known as the Amorites, who took over. The language now spoken was the Sumerian language and all worshiped the God Murduk.
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