Codex Lipit-Ištar

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The Codex Lipit-Ištar (also called Codex Lipit-Ishtar , Codex Lipit-Eštar , Codex Lipit-Eštar ) is a collection of laws from Isin (Mesopotamia) handed down in Sumerian . It was created around 1930 BC. By order of King Lipit-Ištar of the 1st dynasty of Isin . The designation as Codex Lipit-Ištar is modern, the collection of laws does not represent a codified law in this sense.

Sources

Most of the sources come from the writing schools in Nippur , another from Kiš and Sippar . They are all copies of the original or of several different originals that were originally publicly displayed in Isin . The individual sources have only survived in fragments, which makes the reconstruction of the codex difficult and only possible with gaps.

structuring

The structure of the Codex is based on the older Codex Ur-Nammu and is as follows:

  • Legitimation of the ruler, both divine and domestic (liberation of the city of Nippur , measures for social justice)

- gap -

  • Laws, casuistic , in the form of if-then sentences; at least 40 paragraphs (modern census) have been preserved
  • Enforcement of the inscription
  • Curse to protect against eradication of the inscription

In contrast to the Codex Ur-Nammu , the structure has been slightly varied, the section on the enactment now follows after and not before the naming of the laws, which is also used in later legal collections of this time, for example the Codex Hammurapi .

Content of laws

Due to the incomplete tradition, the total scope of the laws is unknown, at least 40 paragraphs have been preserved. The internal structure of the legal collection largely follows the principle of association . There are basically three classes of people: the citizen (lú), so-called miqtu people and the slave (arad / geme 2 ). The individual laws are presented in the form of if-then sentences. Topics covered are essentially in this order:

  • Boat rental
  • Compensation / payment for gardeners, theft in gardens
  • Slave escape
  • Position of the miqtu
  • false accusation
  • Assumption of tax liabilities by third parties
  • Education obligation
  • Marriage and inheritance law
  • Ox rent and compensation payments for injuries to rented animals

When comparing it with the Codex Ur-Nammu , it is noticeable that there is hardly any thematic overlap with this older legal collection, but this could be due to the incomplete transmission of the texts; in particular, the Codex Lipit-Ištar completely lacks the treatment of capital crimes. The regulations are special with regard to second wives and miqtu persons. From this a weakening of the position of women can be deduced, which two centuries earlier still appeared as equal in the Sumerian texts. The term miqtu "fallen" (from Akkadian maqatu ) indicates the linguistic and cultural influence of Akkadian and indicates the development of a multi-class society with free, semi-free and slaves.

The topic of ox rent is often touched on in ancient oriental legal texts - it deals with the regulation of the rent of an ox that is used for agricultural purposes and what compensation is to be paid in the event of an injury or even death of the animal.

example

tukum-bi lu 2 -u 3 gud in-ḫun igi-bi in-ḫul šu-ri-a šam 2 -ma- kam 2 i 3 -la 2 -e

If a man rents an ox and destroys his eye, then he should weigh half the value (in silver) and pay.

literature

  • Heiner Lutzmann: From the laws of King Lipit Eschtar of Isin . in: Legal and business documents. Historical-chronological texts . Texts from the environment of the Old Testament. Volume 1, Gütersloh publishing house Gerd Mohn, Gütersloh 1985
  • Martha T. Roth : Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor . Writings from the Ancient World. vol 6. Society of Biblical Literature, 1995, ISBN 0-7885-0126-7