The Empires of Assyria and Babylon Course Materials

Session 4: Kassite Babylon and Middle Assyria

Explore the dynamic history of Mesopotamia from 1500-1200 BCE in our engaging class on Kassite Babylonia, Mitanni, and Middle Assyria. Delve into the Kassite dynasty’s rule over Babylon, their cultural achievements, and administrative innovations. Study the rise of the Mitanni kingdom, its influence on regional politics, and its interactions with neighboring powers. Uncover the expansion of Middle Assyria, focusing on military conquests, governance, and the empire’s lasting impact on Mesopotamian history. Through detailed analysis and diverse sources, this class provides a comprehensive understanding of these influential states and their roles in shaping ancient Mesopotamia. 

Outline

A.     Period of the Regional Kingdoms

           6.        Kassite Babylonia

           7.       The Kingdom of Mitanni

           8.       Middle Assyria

Key Terms

kudurru

Mitanni

Ashur

Ashur-uballit 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 Middle Assyrian Laws. Think about how these laws compare to those of Hammurabi.

Middle Assyrian Laws (c. 15th-13th century BCE)

• I.2. If a woman, whether the wife of a man or the daughter of a man, utters vulgarity or indulges in low talk, that woman bears her own sin; against her husband, her sons, or her daughter they shall have no claim.
• I.7. If a woman brings her hand against a man, they shall prosecute her; 30 manas of lead shall she pay, 20 blows shall they inflict on her.
• I.8. If a woman in a quarrel injures the testicle of a man, one of her fingers they shall cut off. And if a physician binds it up and the other testicle which is beside it is infected thereby, or takes harm; or in a quarrel she injures the other testicle, they shall destroy both of her eyes.
• I.9. If a man brings his hand against the wife of a man, treating her like a little child, and they prove it against him, and convict him, one of his fingers they shall cut off. If he kisses her, his lower lip with the blade of an axe they shall draw down and they shall cut off.
• I.12. If the wife of a man is walking on the highway, and a man seizes her, says to her "I will surely have intercourse with you," if she is not willing and defends herself, and he seizes her by force and rapes her, whether they catch him upon the wife of a man, or whether at the word of the woman whom he has raped, the elders shall prosecute him, they shall put him to death. There is no punishment for the woman.
• I.13. If the wife of a man goes out from her house and visits a man where he lives, and he has intercourse with her, knowing that she is a man's wife, the man and also the woman they shall put to death.
• I.14. If a man has intercourse with the wife of a man either in an inn or on the highway, knowing that she is a man's wife, according as the man, whose wife she is, orders to be done, they shall do to the adulterer. If not knowing that she is a man's wife he rapes her, the adulterer goes free. The man shall prosecute his wife, doing to her as he likes.
• I.15. If a man catches a man with his wife, both of them shall they put to death. If the husband of the woman puts his wife to death, he shall also put the man to death. If he cuts off the nose of his wife, he shall turn the man into a eunuch, and they shall disfigure the whole of his face.
• I.16. If a man has relations with the wife of a man at her wish, there is no penalty for that man. The man shall lay upon the woman, his wife, the penalty he wishes.
• I.20. If a man has intercourse with his brother-in-arms, they shall turn him into a eunuch.
• I.32. If a woman is dwelling in the house of father, but has been given to her husband, whether she has been taken to the house of her husband or not, all debts, misdemeanors, and crimes of her husband shall she bear as if she too committed them. Likewise if she is dwelling with her husband, all crimes of his shall she bear as well.
• I.37. If a man divorces his wife, if he wish, he may give her something; if he does not wish, he need not give her anything. Empty shall she go out.
• I.40. If the wives of a man, or the daughters of a man go out into the street, their heads are to be veiled. The prostitute is not to be veiled. Maidservants are not to veil themselves. Veiled harlots and maidservants shall have their garments seized and 50 blows inflicted on them and bitumen poured on their heads.
• I.46. If a woman whose husband is dead on the death of her husband does not go out from her house, if her husband did not leave her anything, she shall dwell in the house of one of her sons. The sons of her husband shall support her; her food and her drink, as for a fiancee whom they are courting, they shall agree to provide for her. If she is a second wife, and has no sons of her own, with one of her husband's sons she shall dwell and the group shall support her. If she has sons of her own, her own sons shall support her, and she shall do their work. But if there is one among the sons of her husband who marries her, the other sons need not support her.
• I.55. If a virgin of her own accord gives herself to a man, the man shall take an oath, against his wife they shall not draw near. Threefold the price of a virgin the ravisher shall pay. The father shall do with his daughter what he pleases.
• I.58. Unless it is forbidden in the tablets, a man may strike his wife, pull her hair, her ear he may bruise or pierce. He commits no misdeed thereby.