Submitted by: Matthew Perry, Assistant Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
“I find this document to be a valuable text for teaching students about the different conceptions of justice that have existed throughout history. The concept of “eye for an eye” represents a clear and straightforward idea of justice—which immediately becomes complicated since there are different punishments for individuals of different social ranks. Since the explicit hierarchy and inequality rankles our modern understanding of justice, students often find it difficult to reconcile the individual decrees with the lofty ideals expressed in the preamble. I have also included in this excerpt the rulings that address false testimony, which highlight the primacy of individual testimony as evidence in ancient jurisprudence, and the need to ensure popular confidence in the court’s ability to provide impartial justice.” (Comment by Perry, 2019)
To read online: The Code of Hammurabi (excerpt)
The Code of Hammurabi was a code of laws established by the Babylonian king Hammurabi around the year 1800 BCE.
This is a library resource. From Context of Scripture : Canonical Compositions, Monumental Inscriptions and Archival Documents from the Biblical World, edited by W.W. Hallo, and K.L. Younger, Brill, 2003. Translation by M. Roth.
