A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

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MESOPOTAMIA

NEO-BABYLONIAN PERIOD

Joachim Oelsner, Bruce Wells and Cornelia Wunsch^1

While named after the Neo-Babylonian Empire, this survey covers

the law of Babylonia during the entire first millennium. Politically,

the millennium may be divided as follows:

1. The early part of the millennium was characterized by weak kings
   of Babylon struggling with Aramean and Chaldean groups settling
   for the most part outside the cities. On several occasions, members
   of these groups succeeded in gaining the kingship in Babylon.


2. For most of the late eighth and the seventh centuries Babylonia
   was under Assyrian control.


3. During the Neo-Babylonian Empire, the so-called “Chaldaean dynasty”
   (626–539) brought about a final period of political independence.


4. Inclusion of the territory in the Achaemenid Empire (539–331)
   brought about only minor socio-economic and legal changes. The
   legal institutions as reflected in the documents remain more or less
   the same as before.


5. After the conquest of Alexander (331) as well as under Hellenistic
   rule (Seleucid, 331–141) and even well into the Parthian period
   (Arsacid, 141 B.C.E.–ca. 225 C.E.), cuneiform traditions, including
   the traditional law, remained alive. The latest administrative and
   legal documents (contracts) date to the early first century B.C.E.^2
   
   
   1. S L
   
   
   
   

Only a few documentary sources are known for Babylonia from the

first quarter of the first millennium. Texts of legal relevance are iso-

lated stone monuments (formerly known as kudurrus (see 1.3 below). From

the eighth century^3 onwards, however, to the end of the millennium

(^1) Sections 1, 2, 4.2.1.1, 6.1, 7: Oelsner; sections 2.1.4.6, 3, 4, 5, 6: Wunsch (with
editor); section 8: Wells.
(^2) According to recent research, cuneiform script (and the Akkadian language) was
still being used in the first centuries C.E.: see Geller, “The Last Wedge.”
(^3) Sources from ca. 1000 to 700 surveyed in Oelsner, “Frühneubabylonische...”
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