Law

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Articles

• The concept of law and justice in ancient Egypt

  This thesis discusses the interaction between the concepts of ”justice” (ma’at) and ”law” (hpw) in ancient Egypt. Ma’at, one of the earliest abstract terms in human speech, was a central principle and, although no codex of Egyptian law has been found, there is abundant...

• Aristotle on the Constitution of Carthage, c. 340 BC

  The Carthaginians are also considered to have an excellent form of government, which differs from that of any other state in several respects, though it is in some very like the Spartan. Indeed, all three states---the Spartan, the Cretan, and the Carthaginian---nearly resemble one another, and are very different...

• Xenophon's Defense of Socrates

  Xenophon (430-354 BCE) was an early disciple of Socrates and a contemporary of Plato. He is best known as the mercenary general who wrote The Anabasis, which relates his adventures in leading his men out of Persia and back to Greece after the disastrous campaign of Cyrus the Younger. The Anabasis...

• The Gifts of Isis: Women's Status in Ancient Egypt

  A story on a papyrus dating from the 2nd century CE relates that the goddess Isis, bestowing gifts on humanity, gave as much power and honor to women as she did to men. This tale reflects the high status women enjoyed in ancient Egypt. Although they never had the same rights as males, an Egyptian woman...

• Hammurabi's Code: Babylonian Law Set in Stone

  Hammurabi was the first king of the Babylonian Empire, reigning from 1792 B.C. – 1750 B.C. During his time in power, he conquered Sumer and Akkad, amassing those cultures for his territory. He is probably best known for his enduring code of Babylonian laws, known as Hammurabi’s...

Illustrations

Law Books

• The Collapse of Complex Societies Joseph A. Tainter Cambridge University Press (30 March 1990) Price: $24.23

• The Republic and The Laws Cicero Oxford University Press, USA (15 July 2009) Price: $8.15

• Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters C. H. W. (Claude Hermann Walter) Johns (30 March 2011) Currently unavailable

• The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character Samuel Noah Kramer University Of Chicago Press (15 February 1971) Price: $23.42

• Ancient Future Wayne B. Chandler Black Classic Press (22 May 1998) Price: $12.89