Table Of Contents:
Preface xi

Maps xv
Photographs xvii
Part 1 Overview, Justice, Organization and Procedure

Introduction 3(10)

Scope & General Approach 3(1)

Synthetic Approach 4(3)

A Word of Caution Regarding ``Sources For Mesopotamian Law'' 7(3)

Formulaic Patterns in Mesopotamian Legal Documents 10(2)

Summary 12(1)

The Law Collection (``Codes'') 13(30)

Overview 13(5)

Urukagina's (Uru-Inimgina's) Reforms 18(1)

Ut-Nammu 19(5)

Introduction 19(2)

Outline of the Provisions 21(1)

Values Promoted and Interests Protected 22(2)

Lipit-Ishtar 24(3)

Introduction 24(1)

Outline of the Provisions 25(1)

Values Promoted and Interests Protected 26(1)

Eshnunna 27(3)

Introduction 27(1)

Outline of the Provisions 28(1)

Values Promoted and Interests Protected 29(1)

The Laws of Hammurabi 30(13)

Introduction 30(2)

Outline of the Provisions 32(1)

Procedure (1-5) 33(1)

Property (6-25) 34(1)

Military (26-41) 34(1)

Land & Agriculture (42-65) 34(1)

Miscellaneous GAP Provisions (29 (Sections, GAP a-cc) 35(1)

Principal-Agent; Women Inkeepers (100-112) 35(1)

Debts & Bailment (113-126) 35(1)

Family Law (127-195) 36(1)

Personal Injury (196-214) 36(1)

Professional Wages and Libility (215-277) 37(1)

Sale of Slaves (278-282) 37(1)

Specific Legal Principles 38(1)

Contracts 38(1)

Sales 38(1)

Social Insurance 38(1)

Property 38(1)

Women 38(1)

Torts 39(1)

Debts 39(1)

Business Law 39(1)

Procedure 39(1)

Inheritance 40(1)

Values Promoted and Interests Protected 40(3)

Justice & Jurisprudence: The Role of Law 43(8)

Introduction 43(1)

Mythological Foundations of Jurisprudence 44(1)

Misarum 45(3)

Jurisprudence in the Law Collections 48(3)

Legal Organization & Personnel, & Legal Procedure 51(14)

Organization & Personnel 51(6)

The Role of the ``Assembly'' as an Early Court 51(2)

Judges & ``Courts'' 53(2)

Jurisdiction of Judges and Royal Jurisdiction 55(2)

Lawsuits: Trial Procedure 57(2)

Evidence 59(2)

Witnesses & Perjury 61(1)

Enforcement of Judgments 62(3)
Part 2 Substantive Law

Personal Status 65(12)

Citizenship & Status in General 65(2)

Women 67(2)

Slaves 69(8)

The Family 77(20)

Introduction 77(1)

Marriage 78(9)

Entering and Maintaining Marriage 78(6)

Protection of Marriage for Soldiers 84(2)

Polygamy & Fidelity in Marriage 86(1)

Special Marriage Rights of Certain Women 87(1)

Divorce 87(5)

General 87(2)

Grounds for Divorce 89(1)

Divorce Payments 90(2)

Parents, Children, & Caregivers 92(5)

Child Custody & adoption 92(2)

Child Conduct & Property of Children 94(3)

Inheritance & Succession 97(10)

Introduction 97(1)

Order of Succession: Sons First 98(2)

Inheritance by a Wife 100(1)

Death of Husband--Wife Inherits Life Estate 100(1)

``Sealed Document'' 101(1)

A Special Circumstance 101(1)

Inheritance by Female Child 101(2)

Death of Wife--Inheritance by her Children 103(1)

Inheritance by Children Where Remarriage Occurs 104(1)

Children of Female Slaves & Free Males 104(1)

Wills 105(2)

Criminal Law 107(22)

Introduction 107(1)

Homicide 108(3)

Theft Crimes 111(7)

Introduction & General Provisions 111(4)

Selling Goods Under False Pretenses & Theft by Fraud 115(1)

Black Market Resale 115(2)

Embezzlement 117(1)

Sex Offenses 118(4)

Rape & Incest 118(1)

Adultery 119(3)

Military Crimes 122(1)

``Criminal'' Trespass & ``Criminal'' Negligence 122(2)

False Witness/Perjury 124(1)

Miscellaneous ``Crimes'' 125(1)

Religious Offenses 125(1)

Witchcraft 125(1)

False Imprisonment/Kidnapping 125(1)

Harboring Criminals 126(1)

Bribery 126(1)

Punishments 126(3)

Torts 129(14)

The Problem of Categorization (Battery, Negligence, Strict Liability) 129(2)

The Influence of ``Status'' on Tort Damages 131(1)

Catalogue of Torts & Compensation 132(2)

Actual Warnings of Foreseen Dangers 134(1)

Failure to Maintain Property That Damages Another & Damage to Property 135(2)

Property That Damages Another 135(2)

Damage to Property 137(1)

Libility for Damage Caused by Oxen 137(2)

Physician's Liability 139(1)

Defamation Relating to Sexual Misconduct 140(1)

Affirmative Defenses to Tort: Assumption of Risk & Contributory Negligence 140(3)

Property 143(18)

Introduction: Private Property, Agriculture, and Irrigation 143(2)

Sale of Land, Prices, Deeds & Recordation of Real Property 145(4)

Lease of Fields 149(2)

Gardeners 151(1)

Liability of an Owner of Real Property & Trespass 152(1)

Slaves 153(4)

Miscellaneous 157(4)

Acquisition of Property Through Paying Taxes 157(1)

Adjacent Property Owners 157(1)

Ancestral Property 157(1)

Restrictive Covenants 158(1)

``Ancient Kudurrus'' & Kudurrum 158(3)

Trade, Contracts, & Business Law 161(36)

Trade 161(7)

Early foreign Trade 161(2)

Foreign & Domestic Trade During the Time of the Great Law Collections 163(4)

The Market & Merchants 167(1)

Spread of Cuneiform & Link to Trade & Culture 167(1)

Contract Law 168(14)

Introduction 168(1)

Formalities: Seals, Witnesses, Oaths, & Clay Envelopes 169(2)

Capacity to Contract 171(1)

Contracts Void Due to Public Policy 172(1)

Bailment Contracts 172(3)

Contracts on an International Scale: Treaties 175(2)

Miscellaneous Contract Rules 177(1)

Implied Warranties 177(1)

Order of Performance & Time for Payment 178(1)

Consignment 178(1)

Excuses for Non-Performance of a Contract: Contracts Voidable Due to Impossibility or Impracticability 178(1)

Remedies for Breach of Contract 179(3)

General Business Law 182(15)

Agency 182(1)

Business Organizations 183(3)

Debtor-Creditor Law 186(3)

Interest Rates 189(1)

Weights, Measures, & Media of Exchange 190(1)

Wages, Prices, & Fixed-Price Rentals 191(3)

Taxes 194(3)
Bibliography 197(6)
Index to the Law Collections 203(10)
General Index 213