Hammurabi’s Laws: Ancient Traditions of Violence

The tradition of enforcing private property through violence is truly ancient, and goes back thousands of years to the first civilizations. There exists a prevailing attitude that contemporary culture is more “civilized” than the first organized societies – and while it’s true in some ways, our laws are still remarkably similar to those practiced in antiquity. In the following essay, I analyze the Law Code of Hammurabi and examine its parallels to the way laws function today. First, I will provide context for the technological advances that made the first city-states possible, then give a cultural and economic overview of the Babylonian civilization of which Hammurabi was king. I will then look at specific laws and attempt to determine the values that guide them and their purpose within the functioning of the Babylonian state. The ethical analysis that follows will be through the lens of private property, the state’s monopoly on violence, and the moral dilemma of good and evil.