Hammurabi's Ruling Ideology

Van De Mieroop makes a few interesting claims about Hammurabi's ideology as king. From chapter 7 he points out that the ideology of the time surrounding kingship greatly impacted him and his own personal goals for what kind of ruler he should be, and in chapter 8 Van De Mieroop also shows how his personal beliefs are expressed in the legacy he tries to leave behind in the testamentary stelae we now call the Code of Hammurabi. First, the ideology that influenced the way he ruled was probably a mix of cultural and historical precedent of what a good king should be and do, which was heavily overladen with religious tones. Hammurabi, according to Van De Mieroop, saw a specific king-shaped mold into which he had to fit himself and a lot to live up to. Primarily, there is the image of a good shepherd taking care of his flock (82). But this image of protector and caretaker was multifaceted: it involved maintaining external and internal peace, justice(83-84), and also prosperity by appeasing the gods and thus guaranteeing blessings (84). Hammurabi, on the one hand, is persuaded by his own ideology of kingship of his personal responsibility, but he also uses this ideology to reinforce his kingship as essential to the people's well-being (84). The two sides of the ideological coin are also seen through his commemorative stelae which are there to give himself glory and legitimacy through his claims of accomplishments and election as king by the gods (101), and to assure the "wronged man" that he shall have justice (110). Hammurabi's ideology of kingship give him the mandate and the means of being a just king.