7 Civilizations with Surprising Forms of Criminal Justice
The ancient practice of law and order started with the cramming up of customs by local leaders and then their delivery among masses in form of practical implication, as they were the first form of criminal justice. With the development of writing, soon the local laws were documented and punishments were started and being sentenced based upon those documented laws. Among the ancient laws and customs there are five prominent versions of ancient legislation comprising, Code of Hammurabi, Mosaic Law, Draconian Law, the Roman Twelve Tables and the Law Code of Gortyn. These laws and other are being studied in the light of those ancient codes.
The Code of Hammurabi: One of the world’s ancient civilization existed between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers around 4,000 years ago. With development of writing let the Hammurabi leaders to script out their laws and edicts. The earliest law codes which were produced in Babylon were as old as back to 1728BC – 1686 BC and known as “Code of Hammurabi” or the “Judgments of the Righteousness”. The Code of Hammurabi divided the whole population into three categories comprising The “Amelu” was a patrician who had aristocratic privileges. The “Muskinu” was a free person and landless. The “Ardu” who was a salve.
Mosaic Law: The Hebrews who belonged to Mesopotamia and migrated to Canaan known as Palestine had one leader Moses, who was recognized as messenger of their God. There is a prevailing belief in Hebrew religion that they were the chosen people of God. “Torah” the covenant or law guided the Hebrew people and their law is known to be Mosaic Law. This law is divided into three sections like moral, social and ceremonial. The moral or legal code of the Hebrews is scripted in the Ten Commandments of God found in the Bible in Exodus 20:1-17 (Keathley, 2004).
The Laws of Draco and Solon in Greece: During, the 621 B.C, Draco was asked by the rulers of Athens to develop and constitute legislation to promote public orders and control the practice of Bloody feuds. The rule and law was formed with objective to improve over the life of common citizens. With that objective in mind Draco designed a good number of punishments, mostly death or enslavement to maintain law and order in the state. The Draco rules as per the purpose of religion were written on wooden pillar whereas for the relevance of other issues they were scripted on bronze.
The Twelve Decemviral Tables of Rome: In 455 B.C, the consuls of Rome created a commission of patricians to better understand Greek Solonic Code. It was the commission of Ten Men Decemviri that formed the outline of the law equally abided to both patricians and plebeians. Ten tablets were made to fiber first ten codes and two more tablets were added later on to it. The original twelve tablets were as assumed to be destroyed by the Gauls when they sacked and burned Rome in the invasion of 387 B.C.
The Law Code of Gortyn in Crete: The citizens of Gortyn developed a law code to regulate civil life and around 450 B.C those codes were recorded in stone that later on used on the exterior walls of a Roman theatre.
The law in ancient Egypt: It is believed that some part of the ancient Egyptian law was codified. However, in the later stages of Roman law there were eight books which were developed into legal code. The ancient Egyptian law system was based upon the concept of Ma’at. Ma’at is symbolized with truth, order, balance and justice in the universe. Under this concept everyone was considered as equal before the laws despite the wealth or social position. Though slaves were kept out of this law of equality.
Ancient Roman Law: In the ancient Roman civilization, the Roman King used to elect complex religious system of gods and priests selected from the noble Patrician class, to look after the customs. The law and order was in the hands of King however at the start of the civilization there were hardly any written rules were available. Though with the last Roman King Tarquin, the written rules were come into the practice. The basic book of law is known to be as Jus Papirianum. After the expulsion of Tarquin the proud the Roman Empire converted into Republic and managed by elected bureaucrats.
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