Law Collections & Royal Justice
'If a man… then…' — case by case, a king carves his claim to have brought the gods' justice to earth.
Several Mesopotamian kings issued collections of legal rulings, the most famous being the Laws of Hammurabi (c. 1750 BCE), preceded by the earlier Sumerian Laws of Ur-Namma and Lipit-Ishtar. These are written as case-law — 'if a man does X, the penalty is Y' — wrapped in royal prologues and epilogues declaring that the king, charged by the gods, has 'established justice' and protected the weak from the strong. Scholars debate whether they were enforced statutes or monuments to royal righteousness, but they express a powerful ideal: that a just king brings cosmic order down into human society.
Key passages(11)
A praise poem of Lipit-Eštar (Lipit-Eštar B)
Lipit-Eštar, proud king, enthroned prince, most seemly offshoot of kingship, who walks like Utu, brilliant light of the Land, lofty in nobility, riding on the great divine powers; who settles the peop
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There were three friends, citizens of Adab, who fell into a dispute with each other, and sought justice. They deliberated the matter with many words, and went before the king. Our king! We are ox-dri
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A praise poem of Lipit-Eštar (Lipit-Eštar A)
I am a king treated with respect, good offspring from the womb. I am Lipit-Eštar, the son of Enlil. From the moment I lifted my head like a cedar sapling, I have been a man who possesses strength in a
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When I, Lipit-Eštar, the humble shepherd of Nibru, the true farmer of Urim, ceaseless provider of Eridug, the en priest suitable for Unug, king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the favourite of Inana
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When I, Lipit-Eštar, the humble shepherd of Nibru, the true farmer of Urim, ceaseless provider of Eridug, the en priest suitable for Unug, king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the favourite of Inana
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When I, Lipit-Eštar, the humble shepherd of Nibru, the true farmer of Urim, ceaseless provider of Eridug, the en priest suitable for Unug, king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the favourite of Inana
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[... ] my signs [... ]... [... ]... [... ] (they) will be done. [... ] (it) was done. [... ]... [... ] (it) passed by. [... ] this, his written document [... ]... there will be distress in the land. [
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A praise poem of Enlil-bāni (Enlil-bāni A)
Enlil-bāni, wondrous king among the princes! Created by An, elevated by Enlil, like Utu the light of all lands, born to princedom, girded with all the divine powers, watched over by Enlil and listened
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When the great An, father of the gods, and Enlil, king of all lands, who decides the fates, looked joyfully with a radiant smile at Ninisina, An’s child, because of the authority of the humble lady, a
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Lipit-Eštar, the humble shepherd of Nibru, the true farmer of Urim, ceaseless provider of Eridug, the en priest suitable for Unug, king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the favourite of Inana, the ki
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When I, Lipit-Eštar, the king of Sumer and Akkad, established justice in Sumer and Akkad, then I dedicated this (eye-stone) for Ninlil, lady of the gods, the Inana who created me, my mother who bore m
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