World History

Ancient vs. Modern Government

In this paper we look at the main differences between the Ancient Governments and our Modern Government. While there are many differences, there is also a pattern of likeness in some of the ways the ancient world governed just as in today’s governments. Over the next few paragraphs we will look in detail at what makes these two governments different.

During the age of the stone, bronze, and iron era, the Assyrian people led by more of a biblical authority. Assyrian government was one of comprehensive law code. For example if a man stole something from another, then his punishment would be the loss of a finger. Or if a man stole a kiss from another man’s wife or daughter, then that would lead to the man losing his lower lip. Breaking the law lead to crucifixions, lashings, stoning’s, and beatings. In today’s government we would think it crazy to have punishments such as these. Our government now does not condone taking the law into your own hands, you must go through the justice system. While the Assyrian government may sound harsh, it makes you think if they knew what they were doing. A person would be so afraid of the punishment that they might never consider the crime in the first place.

The Babylonians had a government of legal code. Their government was a council made up of elders who would then administer justice as they saw fit to the local people. Babylonians as well had a biblical type of punishment for crimes. More so in the sense that whatever wrong was done to a person, the same would be done unto the criminal. An example of this would be if a man was to gouge another man’s eye out, then his punishment would be the same, he two would loss an eye. Again another ancient society that seems to take strict action when crimes are committed.

During the emerging empires of Greece, Rome, and Persia, governments seemed too evolved into something closer to modern day government. Greece ruled mostly by...