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Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters
Excerpt from Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters
The people, who were so highly educated, so deeply religious, so humane and intelligent, who developed such just laws, and such permanent institutions, are not unprofit able acquaintances. A right-thinking citizen of a modern city would probably feel more at home in ancient Babylon than in mediaeval Europe. When we have won our way through the difficulties of the language and the writing to the real meaning of their purpose and come into touch with the men who wrote and spoke, we greet brothers. Rarely in the history of antiquity can we find so much of which we heartily approve, so little to condemn. The primitive vir tues, which we flatter ourselves that we have retained, are far more in evidence than those primitive vices which we know are not extinct among us. �the average Babylonian strikes us as a just, good man, no wild savage, but a law abiding citizen, a faithful husband, good father, kind son, firm friend, industrious trader, or careful man of business. We know from other sources that he was no contemptible warrior, no mean architect or engineer. He might be an excellent artist, modelling in clay, carving rocks, and paint ing walls. His engraving of seals was superb. His literary work was of high order. His scientific attainments were considerable.
About the Publisher
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
The people, who were so highly educated, so deeply religious, so humane and intelligent, who developed such just laws, and such permanent institutions, are not unprofit able acquaintances. A right-thinking citizen of a modern city would probably feel more at home in ancient Babylon than in mediaeval Europe. When we have won our way through the difficulties of the language and the writing to the real meaning of their purpose and come into touch with the men who wrote and spoke, we greet brothers. Rarely in the history of antiquity can we find so much of which we heartily approve, so little to condemn. The primitive vir tues, which we flatter ourselves that we have retained, are far more in evidence than those primitive vices which we know are not extinct among us. �the average Babylonian strikes us as a just, good man, no wild savage, but a law abiding citizen, a faithful husband, good father, kind son, firm friend, industrious trader, or careful man of business. We know from other sources that he was no contemptible warrior, no mean architect or engineer. He might be an excellent artist, modelling in clay, carving rocks, and paint ing walls. His engraving of seals was superb. His literary work was of high order. His scientific attainments were considerable.
About the Publisher
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
456 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2004
19 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
C.H.W. Johns
22 books1 followerRev. Claude Hermann Walter Johns, MA, 1857-1920. Lecturer in Assyriology at Queen's College, Cambridge, England.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 30, 2020
I couldn’t find the actual 1904 edition reprinted by the Legal Classics Library that I read but this option was the closest possible choice. Not being a lawyer, I read it for the history sort of the way you do when you read ahead in the litergy when bored to some interesting part of ancient history. The sumptuary laws are not to be believed but they had problems to solve and this was their way. It’s a book you read in between other things 15 minutes at a time. Flip the pages to any point and you can just get engrossed.
November 24, 2019
Interesting Legal History
If you are interested in legal history, this books will give you solid visibility into the Babylonian legal system. Interesting parallels with modern legal theories are evident. Not a riveting page turner, and I would have liked to see more commentaries. Having said that, it is an interesting legal history read.
If you are interested in legal history, this books will give you solid visibility into the Babylonian legal system. Interesting parallels with modern legal theories are evident. Not a riveting page turner, and I would have liked to see more commentaries. Having said that, it is an interesting legal history read.
January 11, 2022
En genomgång av babylonisk lag, med tillägg av brev från statspersoner som illustrativa exempel. Fullständigt adekvat; inte speciellt intressant om man inte är historienörd (vilket jag dock är).
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews