Reform Edict of Urukagina

Impact

Although previous Lagashite kings (such as Entemena) refer to edicts against social inequality and governmental abuse, the reforms of Urukagina represent the earliest known systematic treatment of legal and social reform in world history. Although they do not employ the “if … , then …” clauses of later monumental inscriptions, the reform texts are clearly antecedents to later Mesopotamian and other ancient Near Eastern legal texts, including the Ur-Nammu Code (ca. 2110 BCE), the Code of Hammurabi (ca. 1792 BCE), and the Middle Assyrian Laws (ca. 1100 BCE). Moreover, many royal hymns of Ur-Nammu, Shulgi (ca. 2095–2047 BCE), and Hammurabi, as well as later royal inscriptions of the Assyrian kings Sargon II (ca. 721–705 BCE) and Ashurbanipal (ca. 668–627 BCE) and the Persian Darius I (ca. 521–486 BCE) reflect a concern for social and legal reform. In addition, the Mosaic laws (ca. 1300 BCE), especially in Exodus 22:20–36, exhibit a similar concern for social reforms, with additional inclusions concerning the “stranger,” or non-Israelite.

A major theme in Urukagina's Reform Edict is that of general amnesty. In fact, the amnesty promulgations listed in the reforms are the earliest on record in history. In particular, pardons were given to a variety of criminals, debtors, thieves, and murderers. Even if Urukagina was simply providing legal and social rhetoric, the possibility of amnesty for criminals is unprecedented in Mesopotamian legal texts. At any rate, the Urukagina reforms, contrary to the view of some scholars, are surely not evidence of a dramatic “democratic” revolution but were instead well-placed promulgations that allowed the crown to have greater control over its populace. Toward this end, somewhat ironically, the reforms clearly gave the temple administrators significant power that had been in the hands of the state. This particular issue clouds historians' understanding of Urukagina's true motives for his Reform Edict. He was perhaps more connected to the religious establishment than to the previous monarchy, but this is speculation.