A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

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existed between the late Babylonian cities and their central sanctu-

aries, as is evident from many texts, especially those from Hellenistic

Uruk, where they can be seen in the titles of officials.^25

2.1.3.4 Temple Administration

Babylonian temples of the first millennium were highly sophisticated

economic and social institutions. Their administration cannot be

strictly separated from the civil administration. On the other hand,

the Neo-Babylonian kings (especially Nabonidus) installed royal rep-

resentatives in the temples and controlled them in that way. Within

the different temples there existed minor differences in respect to

their administrative structure. To mention only the most important

officials, it can be said that generally there were chief administra-

tors (“atummu), “(high) priests” (“angû, also with administrative duties),

royal comptrollers (qìpu) or supervisors (bèl piqitti), and royal tax col-

lectors (“a mu¢¢i quppi). Temple oblates (“irku, 4.2.1 below) could act

as minor officials.^26

2.1.4 The Courts

2.1.4.1 As supreme judge, the king personally decided very impor-

tant lawsuits (e.g., BBSt no. 9, top ll. 1ss., col. IVA 2ss.; BBSt no.

10, rev. 10ss.) and citizens had the right of appeal to the king or

the royal courts.^27 The king could not deprive his subjects arbitrar-

ily of their lives, but if someone committed a serious crime, he would

sentence him to death.^28

2.1.4.2 Royal Courts

Lawsuits were conducted in the “house of decision” (bìt dìni),^29 a

term which refers not only to royal courts (e.g., CT 22 105:26), but

to all kinds of courts. A number of lawsuits regarding citizens (mostly

UKKIN (often used for pu¢ru). In this case it is to be read kini“tu“college (of priests),

colleagues,” i.e., a type of temple personnel (also acting in judicial matters; see AHw

877 pu¢ruA4).

(^25) Sarkisjan, “Zum Problem...”
(^26) For one of the temples see now Bongenaar, The Neo-Babylonian Ebabbar Temple....
Cf. also San Nicolò, Beiträge.. .; Kümmel, Familie...
(^27) Examples (seventh century) given by Postgate, “Royal Exercise...”
(^28) See e.g., Weidner, “Hochverrat...”
(^29) E.g., Iraq27 (1965) 1ff. col. II 26: bìt dìni e““i“ibnu“he built anew the court
house(s),” and passim in documents.
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