. Modern research as illustrating the Bible . mention now an important and interestingdiscovery made in 1901. Hammurabi—probably the Amraphel ofGen. xiv. 1—the sixth king of the first known dynasty of Babylon,who ruled for forty-three years at about 2150 b. c., was alreadyknown to us from an almost contemporary chronicle, and fromnumerous letters of his own and contract-tablets dating from hisreign: we knew from these sources that he was an enterprisingand successful ruler, who took an active personal interest in thewelfare of his country, freed it from its foes, organized and con-solidated it
. Modern research as illustrating the Bible . mention now an important and interestingdiscovery made in 1901. Hammurabi—probably the Amraphel ofGen. xiv. 1—the sixth king of the first known dynasty of Babylon,who ruled for forty-three years at about 2150 b. c., was alreadyknown to us from an almost contemporary chronicle, and fromnumerous letters of his own and contract-tablets dating from hisreign: we knew from these sources that he was an enterprisingand successful ruler, who took an active personal interest in thewelfare of his country, freed it from its foes, organized and con-solidated its administration, and laid generally the foundation ofits future greatness. But at the end of 1901, M. de Morgan,excavating at Susa, discovered a large block of black diorite, witha bas-relief representing Hammurabi receiving a code of laws fromShamash, the sun-god, and with the code of laws inscribed uponits front and back sides. About one-eighth of the code has beenerased : the rest includes 24-8 separate enactments, on a great variety. Hammurabi, King of Babylon, receiving his Laws from the Sun-god From the upper part of the stele (7\ feet hipli on which his code of laws is Sun-god is represented as seated on a throne in the form of a temple facade, andhis feet are resting upon the mountains. Photograph by Messrs. Mansell .S: Co. From King and Halls Egypt and Western Asia in tht Light of Recent Discoveries, 1907, p. 265. To fate }\ 26] THE CODE OF HAMMURABI 27 of subjects—laws relating to property, the duties and privileges ofroyal servants and other officials, the tenure, rent, and cultivationof land, trade and commerce, family law (including, for instance, therights of wife and children, divorce, inheritance, adoption), criminallaw (penalties for different kinds of assault), laws fixing the ratesof payment for the hire of different articles, and the rates of wages indifferent employments, and laws relating to slavery. It will be seenat once what a varie
Size: 1279px × 1955px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbible, bookyear1922
