Law in Ancient Egypt
Law is a set of rules and foundations that organize society. It is not surprising that the ancient Egyptians had laws that governed them because that ancient civilization was only administered by law and order.
The legislative authority in ancient Egypt was in the king’s hands because he represents God on earth, responsible for holding people accountable.
We can divide the Egyptian law into: (Crimes Law – Marriage Law – Inheritance Law).
First, the Crimes Law:
1- Conspiracy against the king, so the death penalty was due to the idea of ​​the king’s primacy. This is tantamount to being late against the gods.
2- Escape from conscription, the punishment for expulsion and defamation of that person’s crime in his workplace and residence because it is considered an honour crime in ancient Egypt.
3- Spying for foreign countries, the punishment for it was tongue amputation if he told information verbally, or hand amputation if he told the information in writing.
4- False reporting and false testimony were punishable by death because the witness was swearing in the lives of the gods and the king, and whoever swore falsely would be guilty of their rights.
5- Looting or vandalizing the contents of graves was punishable by death because it was related to the resurrection of the deceased person.
6- Willful murder, the penalty for which was death, and it included the willful killing of the doctor who diagnosed a patient by mistake, then the patient dies, and it also includes if the failure to help a person who needed it led to his death.
7- Theft, The penalty for theft, was a fine equal to the value of the stolen items, with the thief being compensated for the person who stole it for the damage caused to him.
Second, the Marriage Law: –
1- The two parties must agree to complete the marriage freely, and neither of them may be forced.
2- It is not permissible for a person to marry his sister among individuals, and kings were permitted only until they were assured of the purity of the divine blood.
3- It is not permissible to marry two persons of different social classes.
4- It is not permissible for individuals to marry a foreigner, only for the king.
5- Divorce was the right of any party to end the marriage, and if the husband wanted the divorce, he had to pay alimony. But if the wife wanted a divorce, she would return the dowry with half of its price.
Third, the inheritance law:
1- Legal children were distributed equally, regardless of age or gender.
2- Illegitimate children did not have the right to inherit until the modern state era, and they became entitled to the inheritance, provided that there were no legitimate children.
3- Brothers were inherited because the deceased did not have children, but in the modern state era, they had the right to inherit in any case.
4- The mother had the right to inherit children even in the life of his father.