Meg

R. Masters
December 12, 2014

Sexual Conduct Within Hittites

Nano-History Project Module 3
As I examined the Hittites Laws and Codes for Sexual Conduct, you first need to know
that the Hittites called their code of conduct "The Code of the Nesilim." Nesilim is the
Hittites name for themselves. There are 200 different clauses. All these clauses were
categorized into eight different clauses. These separated the types of clauses they
were. The eights groups of laws were(2):
1. Aggression and assault: Clauses 1-24
2. Marital relationships: Clauses 26-38
3. Obligations and services: Clauses 39-56
4. Assaults on property and theft: Clauses 57-144
5. Contracts and prices: Clauses 145-161
6. Sacral matters: Clauses 162-173
7. Contracts and tariffs: Clauses 176-186
8. Sexual relationships: Clauses 187-200
The sexual conduct clauses included bestiality. Most of these clauses if broken had
the death penalty as a common punishment with these crimes. These laws were kept
for around 500 years. I noticed Hittite laws were very strict when it came to men, and
were extremely focused on men.

Here is a list of the sexual relationship clauses in order(1):

187. "If a man have intercourse with a cow, it is a capital crime, he shall die. They shall
lead him to the king's hall. But the king may kill him, the king may grant him his life. But
he shall not approach the king."
188. "If a man have intercourse with his own mother, it is a capital crime, he shall die. If
a man have intercourse with a daughter, it is a capital crime, he shall die. If a man have
intercourse with a son, it is a capital crime, he shall die."
190. "If a man and a woman come willingly, as men and women, and have intercourse,
there shall be no punishment. And if a man have intercourse with his stepmother, there
shall be no punishment; except if his father is living, it is a capital crime, the son shall
die"
191. "If a free man picks up now this woman, now that one, now in this country, then in
that country, there shall be no punishment if they came together sexually willingly."
192. "If the husband of a woman die, his wife may take her husband's patrimony."
194. "If a free man pick up female slaves, now one, now another, there is no
punishment for intercourse. If brothers sleep with a free woman, together, or one after
the other, there is no punishment. If father and son sleep with a female slave or harlot,
together, or one after the other, there is no punishment."
195. "If a man sleep with the wife of his brother, while his brother is living, it is a capital
crime, he shall die. If a man have taken a free woman, then have intercourse also with
her daughter, it is a capital crime, he shall die. If he have taken her daughter, then have
intercourse with her mother or her sister, it is a capital crime, he shall die."

197. "If a man rape a woman in the mountain, it is the man's wrong, he shall die. But if
he rape her in the house, it is the woman's fault, the woman shall die. If the husband
find them and then kill them, there is no punishing the husband."
199. "If anyone have intercourse with a pig or a dog, he shall die. If a man have
intercourse with a horse or a mule, there is no punishment. But he shall not approach
the king, and shall not become a priest. If an ox spring upon a man for intercourse, the
ox shall die but the man shall not die. One sheep shall be fetched as a substitute for the
man, and they shall kill it. If a pig spring upon a man for intercourse, there is no
punishment. If any man have intercourse with a foreign woman and pick up this one,
now that one, there is no punishment."
200. "If anyone give a son for instruction, be it a carpenter, or a potter, or a weaver, or a
tailor, or a smith, he shall give six half-shekels of silver for the instruction"
If you read through all these clauses you can notice like I said in the above
paragraph most of these sexual conduct clauses have to do with men and their actions.
I have noticed and found that some of the are a little weird. If you read number 199, you
can not have intercourse with a pig or dog, but it is okay if you have intercourse with a
horse or mule. Why, that is acceptable I do not know. You should also take notice that is
their sexual conduct has to do with having sexual intercourse with family members or
someone related to them. There was only one or two clause that directly spoke about
women and their sexual code of conduct. As you read through them you should have
also taken notice that they all have capital punishment. They were not something that
the King would take lightly, even though some there could be a chance the King would
consider sparing you your life if you broke one of these clauses. As I read through all

different takes on these clauses and general information it seemed that these "laws"
and "clauses" were successful staple in their culture and success to keep things civil. As
I read through a few of their other clauses not just the sexual conduct I noticed that if
slaves were abused in any way sexually or as they were working the owner was
punished. I did find that interesting and found it eye opening that they did know right
from wrong no matter what your social class was. Clause number 197 I did not like. I did
not like this clause because I didn't understand why it was okay to rape a women and if
it was in their house the women shall die, but if it was in the mountains the man shall
die. I did not understand where they were coming from when it came to rape and
understanding the clause.
Overall I feel the Code of Nesilim and more specifically the code for sexual
conduct were well written and had strong ground to stand on when needed to be
enforced. I also felt they were well written. We do not know to this day who wrote the
clauses, but many believe it was the King at the time.

1. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/1650nesilim.asp
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittite_laws
3.http://allisonh12.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/primary-source-analysis-the-code-of-thenesilim/
4. http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-oldest-recorded-laws-region.php