1. FOA
April 6th-10th

2. The Code of Hammurabi
King Hammurabi of Babylon formed his code of law between 1792 and 1750 B.C. This code is a collection of Hammurabi's legal decisions during his reign. However, these decisions were based on Sumerian laws that had existed for hundreds of years. So Hammurabi's code can be seen as representing centuries of legal tradition.
The code is made up of 282 laws. These laws cover economic issues dealing with trade and commerce. They also include criminal cases involving assault and theft. In addition, they include civil laws involving slavery and debt.
Hammurabi's code advanced beyond tribal customs. For example, some tribes might support the personal retribution or revenge of one person on another. However, the code of Hammurabi did not support personal retribution. Instead, people who committed a crime would be given the punishment stated for that crime in the code. However, punishments for similar crimes could differ greatly, depending on the situation.

3. Read the following laws from Hammurabi's code.
Law 202: If any one strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an ox-whip in public.
Law 203: If a free-born man strike the body of another free-born man [of] equal rank, he shall pay one gold mina.
Law 204: If a freed man strike the body of another freed man, he shall pay ten shekels in money.
Law 205: If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.
1. What is the punishment for a person who strikes the body of a man who is higher rank?
2. What is the punishment for the slave of a freed man who strikes the body of a freed man?
3. How are laws 202, 203,204, and 205 similar?

4. Read the following laws from Hammurabi's code.
Law 202: If any one strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an ox-whip in public.
Law 203: If a free-born man strike the body of another free-born man [of] equal rank, he shall pay one gold mina.
Law 204: If a freed man strike the body of another freed man, he shall pay ten shekels in money.
Law 205: If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.
1. How are laws 202, 203,204 and 205 different?
2. Why do you think laws 202, 203, 204, and 205 are different?

5. Women in Protest
Many Roman men were killed during the Carthaginian wars that began in 202 B.C. It is believed that wives and daughters often inherited the men's land and money. However, the Roman government wanted this wealth to pay for the wars. To gain control of this wealth, Roman leaders passed the Oppian Law. The Oppian law limited how much gold women could own. If a woman's inheritance exceeded this amount, Rome acquired it. The Oppian law also required women to deposit their money with the state. This allowed the state to use the women's wealth whenever it wanted. The Oppian law even made it illegal to wear purple clothing, since purple represented wealth.
The Carthaginian wars ended. Twenty years later, the Oppian law was still enforced. Roman government leaders disagreed about the law. Some supported it. Others believed the Oppian law should be repealed, or cancelled. Livy, a Roman histotrian. described how women protested in the streets of Rome to try to get their wealth restored.

6. Women in Protest
For the Oppian Law. Marcus Porcius Cato, also known as Cato the Elder, spoke in support of the Oppian law.
Our ancestors did not want women to conduct any--not even private--business without a guardian; they wanted them to be under the authority of parents, brothers, or husbands; we (the gods help us!) even now let them snatch at the government and meddle in the Forum and our assemblies....
If they are victorious now, what will they not attempt?.....As soon as they begin to be your equals, they will have become your superiors.....
[O]nce the law no longer limits your wife's spending, you will never do it by yourself....
I vote that the Oppian law should not, in the smallest measure, be repealed; whatever course you take, may all the gods make you happy with it.
~Marcus Porcius Cato, 195 B.C
1. Who does Cato believe should have authority over women?
2. What does Cato think of women's protest to cancel the law?

7. Women in Protest
Against the Law. Lucius Valerius was a tribune, an official protector of the people. To encourage ending the Oppian Law, he described how woman had helped Rome during the wars.
When Rome was in the hands of the Gauls, who ransomed [rescued] it? Indeed the matrons [older women] agreed unanimously to turn their gold over to the public need. Not to go too far back in history, in the most recent war, when we needed funds, did not the widows' money assist the treasury?....
They cannot partake of magistracies, priesthoods, triumphs, badges of office, gifts, or spoils of war; elegance, finery, and beautiful clothes are women's badges, in these they find joy and take pride, this is our forebears called the women's world....They prefer their adornment to be subject to your judgement, not the law's; and you ought to hold them in marital power and gaurdianship, not slavery; you should prefer to be called fathers and husbands to masters. ~Lucius Valerius, 195 B.C
1. How did women help Rome during it's wars?
2. Why does Lucius Valerius believe women deserve to wear expensive clothes?
3. Contrast the views of Cato and Lucius Valerius about the role of women. According to each man, how might women respond if the Oppian law is kept or repealed?