1. Government & Law
Establishing power, authority and order in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt

2. Government in Sumer
City-states initially run by ___________________ assembly made up of upper house of wealthy citizens & lower house of soldiers
Assembly chose __________________ & military leaders
Need for strong leadership during _____________ lead to creation of kings (lugals)
Initially elected, but became ____________________
Seen as representatives of the ____________________
Main responsibilities were defense, maintenance of ___________________________, law and order
Theocratic because the __________________ were seen as messengers of gods
Each city in empire run by a local governor (ensi) while king ran the _____________________
Only free citizens (i.e. not slaves) could vote
Shows importance of irrigation to the agricultural economy

3. Government in Assyria Kings derived _________________ from god Ashur
More separation of _______________ and state
All temples, palaces and monuments for use of _______
King’s role included:
Judge
Religious rituals for _____ days each month
Supervisor of _____________ construction
Protector of farmers and shepherds
Leader of all ___________________ campaigns
Divided empire into provinces and appointed governor to run them, ___________, recruit troops and enforce laws
Forced _________________________ of conquered populations reduced rebellion

4. Law & Justice in Mesopotamia
King’s _________________ was law
Ur-Nammu (Sumer) developed the first known ____________
Legal codes designed to create common laws for all citizens
Laws applied differently based on ______________________
Hammurabi’s Code (Babylon) had most lasting influence:
First to distinguish between major & minor crimes
Established ___________________ authority to dispense laws
Promoted principle that punishment should _________________
Law codes = significant contribution to advancement of civilization

5. Government in Egypt THE PHAROAH Seen as ________________
Position passed to the eldest son of his ______________ wife
Son could strengthen claim to throne by marrying someone of royal ______________________ (e.g. sister)
Possible for a _______________________ to inherit
THE BUREAUCRACY
Pharaoh appointed all government officials
Highest-ranking official = ___________: Pharaoh’s deputy and in charge of all administrative duties (e.g. collecting taxes)
Empire divided into _____ provinces (nomes) governed by a nomarch who collected taxes, recruited troops, organized workers and enforced laws
Pharaoh usually had many wives and sometimes hundreds of children
To keep royal blood pure, marriages between siblings, half-siblings and other blood relatives weren’t uncommon.
4 women ruled ancient Egypt

6. Law & Justice in Egypt
Based of the principles of Ma’at (goddess of _______________, equilibrium & justice)
Goal of all people was to find and maintain ___________________ with the universe
Officials of the judicial system were priests of Ma’at
Never developed extensive law codes; laws based on ____________
Laws had punishments with varying degrees of severity from _____________________ to execution
Laws applied __________________ to all people
Laws emphasized protection of _____________________
If someone ______________, their family faced punishment instead
Tribunal/court composition varied with the crime:
______________________ in each town judged local matters
Nomes had courts for more important cases
Vizier heard most _____________________ cases
Pharaoh the highest judge, but only involved in _______________________________ cases
Egyptians believed disgrace was an effective punishment for many crimes (e.g. deserting in the army)
Punishments were often harsh
Rapists (of freeborn women) were castrated
Those who shared military secrets had their tongues cut out
Children who killed their parents had pieces of their flesh cut away, then placed on bed of thorns and burned alive.

7. Hammurabi’s Code Stele carved of basalt
Probably one of many posted around the _________________
Would have been placed near ___________
Almost 7.5 feet tall
Image at the top shows the god of justice, Shamash, handing Hammurabi the symbols of _______________
________ laws governing almost all aspects of life
Stele: upright stone or wooden slab generally taller than it is wide that is engraved; usually as a monument or for commemorative purposes
Longest surviving text from the Old Babylonian period
Shamash also the sun god; he hands Hammurabi the rod and ring, which symbolize kingship and divine justice, which reinforces that the laws come from the gods.
Below the scene is a lengthy prologue that explains that the gods appointed Hammurabi to rule the people whose main role was to protect the weak and powerless and to ensure proper worship of the gods.
The prologue is followed by the laws themselves.
After the laws is an epilogue describing Hammurabi as a military leader who brings peace to his subjects. It also says that he put the laws on public display to show that he is a just ruler and to serve as an example for future rulers.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Why make the stele so large? (sign of power)
2. Why place the steles near temples? (close connection between church & state, sign that gods approved of Hammurabi’s laws, sign that Hammurabi was intermediary between people and gods)
3. Why show the image carved at the top? (says Hammurabi’s authority to govern is god-given, shows his role as intermediary).