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In Babylonian society, women were viewed as second-class citizens. The Code of Hammurabi gave women false rights laid down for them by men only for the protection of men. This gave Babylonian fathers, husbands, and brothers complete control over matters such as: divorce, inheritance, and even violent crimes committed by men against women. Men and women could divorce even in Babylonia, yet only the woman would suffer from marital conclusion. If a Babylonian woman divorced …

…responsible for her father’s crime, once again protecting the man. Men, throughout their lives, undermined women in Babylonian society. Although it is sometimes argued that the Code of Hammurabi protects certain women’s rights, it essentially protected the rights of Babylonian men by outlining the obedience of its women. Thus, women lived their lives in accordance with the wishes and needs of their men, and when they failed, chauvinistic laws punished them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**