Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-12-01
Life in Babylonia and Assyria.

It is now known that the standard
of private morality was high, both IN
Babylon and Assyria. The Babylon
ians had passed far beyond the stage
of making the satisfaction of ones own
desires the standard of right ana
wrong. Their kings prided them
selves upon being the promoters or
justice. Even the Assyrian rulers,w who
seemed, while conducting their wars,
to be bereft of all the soft emotions,
declare that their highest aim is to
spread plenty and happiness Senna-
cherib calls himself king who loves
righteousness" and he, as we'll as
many predecessor, busted himself in
making good the rights of those of his
subjects who had been wrongfully de-
prived of their possessions. The legal
and commercial tablets prove that due
consideration was given to the treat
ment Of women, the most satisfactory
index of high ethical conditions. She
could hold property and dispose of it.
Before the courts her status did not
differ materially from that of men. A
husband could not divorce his wife
without sufficient cause, and children
owed obedience to the mother as we'll
as to the father. Polygamy, no doubt,
prevailed, but according to some able
writer's, it must be deemed an error
to suppose that polygamy in ancient
times was inconsistent with high
ideals Of family life Such vices as
adultery, hatred, lying, cheating, and
insincerity, together with the use OF
false measures and the removal OF
landmarks, are denounced in the in
cantation texts, and, in accordance
with this standard, are to be found in
the records of lawsuits and agreements
between parties clear indications OF
the stringent laws enacted for the pur-
pose of protecting citizens against in
Engagements of their rights. It is a
testimony to the prevalence of a sense
of justice in Assyria that Ashurbana-
bal lays emphasis upon the fact that
he established ordinances to the end
that the strong might do no harm to
the weak. 1t is true that the institu-
ton of slavery f1ourished in Babylonia
and Assyria throughout all periods OF
their history. There were various
grades of slaves, however. Some
grades differed but little from servants
indentured for a longer or shorter pc
Rod and expected to render certain
specified services. The temple attend
ants seemed to have belonged mostly
to this class. A benign treatment of
slaves was enjoined, and was the rule.
Slaves were often the confidential
agents of their masters, and attended
to the business affairs of the latter.
Slaves are found holding property in
their own right. Contracts entered
into by them were binding. Injuries
inflicted upon them by their masters
were punished, and they were protect
ed against losses and mishaps encoun-
tered while in service. We observe,
finally, that while there is no evidence
to show that the laws of Assyria were
on lower ethical plane than those OF
Babylonia, still it may be assumed that
as the Assyrians were the pupils and
imitators of the Babylonians in almost
everything pertaining to civilization
and religion, the general tone of life
in Assyria was scarcely as high as in
the south. The warlike spirit of the
rulers was probably but a symptom
OF the fiercer character of the people.