Thursday, January 8, 2009

The first five laws in Hammurabi's code


If you are interested you can read more here.
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1

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If any one ensnare another, putting a ban upon him, but he can not prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death.


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2

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If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser.


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3

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If any one bring an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to death.


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4

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If he satisfy the elders to impose a fine of grain or money, he shall receive the fine that the action produces.


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5

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If a judge try a case, reach a decision, and present his judgment in writing; if later error shall appear in his decision, and it be through his own fault, then he shall pay twelve times the fine set by him in the case, and he shall be publicly removed from the judge's bench, and never again shall he sit there to render judgement.

2 comments:

  1. Have you read some of these laws? Can you imagine being governed in such a way? Check out number two, it's eerily similar to the witch trials of Salem.

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