The Empires of Assyria and Babylon Course Materials

Session 2: Old Babylon and the Hittites

Join us for an illuminating class on the Old Babylonian Dynasty and the Hittite Old Kingdom, two pivotal civilizations. We’ll delve into the era of Hammurabi, famous for his comprehensive code of laws, and explore the political and cultural developments that marked Babylon's rise to power. Then we will journey into the Anatolian highlands to uncover the mysteries of the Hittite Old Kingdom, examining its unique social structure, military innovations, and interactions with neighboring cultures. 

Outline

A.     The Old Babylonian Dynasty

           1.          Hammurabi

           2.          Old Babylonian Society and Culture

           3.          Hammurabi’s Successors

B.     The Hittite Old Kingdom

           1.        Origins

           2.        The Emergence of a Hittite State

           3.        Hattušili I

           4.        Muršili I

Key Terms

Hammurabi

extispacy

Marduk

Anitta

Hattušili I

Muršili I

Exercises:

1.  Memorize the meanings of the key terms from this chapter.

2.  Without notes, cite the major developments of the period covered in this class.

3.  Read the selections from the Law of Hammurabi. Think about how what you are reading tells you about the culture.     

Law of Hammurabi (c. 18^th century BCE)

•      If an awilum has accused another awilum of homocide but has not proved his guilt, the accuser shall be put to death.

•      If an awilum has accused another awilum of sorcery, but has not proved his guilt, the person accused of sorcery shall go to the river and plunge into it. If the river overcomes him, his accuser shall take his estate. If the river proves that awilum innocent and he returns unharmed, the one who brought the charge of sorcery against him shall be put to death and the one who jumped into the river shall take the estate of his accuser.

•      If an awilum who has lost some property, has discovered that lost property in another awilum's possession, but the awilum in whose possession the lost property was found has stated, "a seller sold it to me; I bought it before witnesses," and the owner of the lost property has said. "I will produce witnesses who know it is my lost property," (and then) the buyer has produced the seller who sold (the property) to him and the wit­nesses before whom he bought it and the owner of the lost property (also) has pro­duced witnesses who know the lost property, the judges shall examine their statements and the witnesses before whom the property was bought and the witnesses who know the lost property shall state what they know in the presence of god, Then, the seller is a thief: he shall be put to death. The owner of the lost property shall take his lost prop­erty. The buyer shall take the money he has paid from the estate of the seller.

•      If an awilum's wife has been caught copulating with another man, they shall bind them and throw them into the water. If the husband of the woman wishes to spare his wife, then the king may also spare his subject.

•      If an awilum's wife has been accused by her husband, but she was not caught copulat­ing with another man. she shall swear (her innocence) by a solemn oath and return to her house.

•      If a finger has been pointed at an awilum's wife because of another man, but she was not caught copulating with the other man, she shall leap into the river (and undergo the water ordeal) for the sake of her husband.

•      If an awilum has been made prisoner and there is nothing to eat in his house, his wife may enter another man's house; that woman shall suffer no punishment.

•      If a woman so hates her husband that she states "you may not have (sex with) me," her record shall be investigated in her district, and if she has kept herself chaste and was not at fault, while her husband has been going out and has greatly maligned her, that woman shall suffer no punishment; she may take her dowry and return to her father’s house.

•      If a son has struck his father, his hands shall be cut off.

•      If an awilum has put out the eye of a son of an awilum, they shall put out his eye If an awilum has broken the bone of an awilum. they shall break his bone.

•      If he has knocked out the eye of a mushkenum or has broken the limb of a mushkenum, he shall pay one mina of silver.

•      If he has knocked out the eye of an awilum’s servant, or broken the limb of a awilum’s servant, he shall pay half his value.

•      If an awilum has knocked out the tooth of an awilum , his tooth shall be knocked out.

•      If he has knocked out the tooth of a mushkenum, he shall pay one-third of a mina of silver.

•      If an awilum has struck the cheek of an awilum who is superior (in rank) to himself [or, possibly, "older than himself'], he shall be struck sixty times with an oxtail whip in the assembly. If an awilum has struck the cheek of an awilum equal (in rank) [or, per­haps, "in age"] to himself , he shall pay one mina of silver.

•      If a mushkenum has struck the cheek of a mushkenum, he shall pay ten shekels of silver.

•      If a builder has constructed a house for an awilum but has not made his work strong enough and the house that he built has collapsed and caused the death of the house's owner, that builder shall be killed. If it has caused the death of the owners son, they shall kill the builder's son.

Note:

An awilum is a free citizen and landowner.

A mushkenum is a landless, lower class member of society.