Hammurabi's Argument Against Unfaithfulness

Fidelity was something Mesopotamians valued heavily in their culture. As such, Hammurabi’s Laws covers the act of infidelity, however it is clear that the laws favor men and implements harsh penalties for women. If a woman were caught being adulterous, then she and the man she slept with were both tied up and thrown into water to drown. In contrast to a woman, a man was only put to death if he is caught having violating a virgin who was betrothed to another man. Although Hammurabi’s stand against unfaithfulness can be seen commendable, the assigned punitive measures to those who commit adultery were prejudiced and biased. These laws implied that there were no consequences in place for a man who simply cheated on his wife with a woman