When the Romans took control of Egypt, the Roman legal system that existed throughout the Roman Empire was applied in Egypt. It is also generally not allowed to photograph public buildings or infrastructure, including train stations and bridges. If you are looking for an interesting place to visit, consider Egypt as your next destination! Tourists are generally not expected to abide by Islamic dress conventions, such as wearing a hijab, unless visiting a mosque. 44 1971: 291-292. Women in Greece are prohibited from wearing high heels and tall hats in the Olympic Stadium. The author thereupon argues that when studying legal history it is important to realise that the author (of the Codex Hermopolis text) shows himself to be qualified as a jurist; he was a true jurisprudent.86 Previously it was doubted whether there were scholars in ancient Egypt who could qualify as jurists in the strict sense of the word, but today their existence is undisputed. This includes photography umbrellas; artificial outdoor lighting gear, and any equipment that occupies or blocks public roads. Citizens may not make offensive gestures at a passing car. These laws are funny, some are just plain stupid, and some are brutally WRONG (marital law in India we are looking at you). The first cases of established laws to follow were introduced in ancient Egypt. Tutankhamun: A popular one! Can I Travel to Egypt with a Criminal Record? This beautiful country has a very strict NO-NO for men wearing a skirt. Travelers who are arrested in Egypt should ask the police or prison officers to immediately notify their countrys embassy. The topography of the Nile valley protected them from invasion while the consistent annual inundation of the Nile assured them of the orderliness of life which probably dictated recurring rituals, farming practices and legal proceedings, like the redrawing of property boundaries.101. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Because of the complex nature of legal administration, the pharaoh delegated powers to provincial governors and other officials. 84 Ibid. 25 See Versteeg 2002: 5; Westbrook 2003a: 26. 82 See Allam 2007: 269. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. 102 Ibid. Public displays of affection are frowned upon in general and between individuals of the same gender, it is likely to attract unwelcome attention and anger from locals. Women are advised to wear clothes that cover their shoulders, knees, and cleavage. One of the most famous cases is probably that of the eloquent peasant (the story of the eloquent peasant), who investigates the quest for justice of a poor man by high officials and the king himself. Most of this material derives from Thebes in southern Egypt, while other documents, like the Legal Text of Mes, are from Memphis in the north of Egypt and contain references to court disputes, confirming the existence of government archives.60. Taking everything thus far said into account, it is my opinion that two very basic and fundamental elements of ancient Egyptian law may be identified and will now be discussed in the following subsections. The ancient Egyptians therefore employed, alongside the usual legal process, also divine judgement which placed the omniscience of a divinity at the service of judicial proceedings.14. This location was chosen because it was close to al-Fustat and also because it had been previously inhabited by a Coptic Christian village called Bayt al-Qasr that had been destroyed by Caliph Jafar ibn Abi Talib during his rule over Egypt in 868 CE. A study of ancient Egyptian law should therefore always allow for the close relationship between law and religion. And its not just Egypt: punning is illegal in the UK and the United States as well. It is illegal to name your child after a member of the royal family. "56 Religious texts, such as the Coffin Texts, often also contain certain elements relating to law.57, The New Kingdom has an abundant and a more varied corpus of legal texts than the Old and Middle Kingdoms. 9 Helck & Otto 1980: 1110-1111. If you have a habit to chew gums, dont dare to visit Singapore for a long time since it is illegal to chew gums there. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. 12 Van Blerk 2006: 26. 715 bc), were known as lawgivers. Tel: (202) 468-4200. 45 Idem 291-291. When the law was obeyed, the principle of maat was applied, but when one went against maat by committing an offence, the law could be applied against the wrongdoer.33 The ancient Egyptians' lives were therefore governed by maat, with their law being justice in action. Tel: 323.933.9700 Egyptian men, however, have unconditional rights to divorce and dont even need to go to court to obtain it. [T]he social, agricultural and industrial world of the Nile dwellers under the Empire was therefore not at the mercy of an arbitrary whim, on the part of either the king or court, but was governed by a large body of long respected law, embodying principles of justice and humanity. The law states that only the owner, pump operator or employee is allowed to pump the gas. It stated that no landlord could demand back money owed for booze. Countries all over the world have strange and weird laws, some very outdated. There is little public acceptance of homosexuality in Egypt. For eligible travelers, this means obtaining the Egyptian eVisa by applying online in advance. Drinks on the landlord the one we want back. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. And, more importantly, it helps understand what may sometime seem to be a wooden, non-discretionary approach to applying and enforcing the law. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Soccer players Throughout history, humanity has relied on these early laws and today introduced a system of checks and balances in the legal system to guarantee the rights of innocent people and the opportunity to stand trial before a jury of their peers. An irony is that Egypt, with its strongly predominant Islamic culture, adopted a legal system that seeks to objectify the law by codification, avoid recognizing even the potential for reasonable minds to differ on the interpretation of legal texts (hence the absence of dissenting opinions in judicial rulings), and gives no substantive legal weight to judicial precedent, while Islamic law (at least in Egypts prevailing Sunni tradition) is generally regarded as being the product of an ongoing dialogue between scholars and jurists (much like the common law) resulting in multiple and well-recognized schools of legal thought, all emanating from essentially the same legal sources, all considered to be equally legitimate, and within which great weight is given to precedent in making legal rulings on a case by case basis. 3 Shaw & Nicholson 2008: 273. Further, in exceptional cases where an individual possesses unique skills or expertise (e.g., engineers, doctors), he may be assigned duties related to those skills during his period of service if approved by the Minister of Defense or his representative. From the following discussion of Allam it is evident from contemporary documents that all issues treated in the text are cases which reflect daily life issues.84Procedures for the admission of evidence, on which the judge would make his decision, are mentioned. As a result, Egypt's legal system today contains legal and institutional features of several past systems and laws, some of which were retained, some adapted, and some merged over the course of time to fit Egypt's needs. 79 Ibid. The law was passed in 1951 and seeks to reduce fire accidents caused by mishandling of flammable material by untrained personnel, and anyone violating this law is liable for a $500 fine. It is illegal to take part in a demonstration or protest without a permit. Weird Facts About Egypt 1. I have three strange Egyptian laws: You can be imprisoned for not voting - all families with only one son don't have to send him to the army, but if they have two or more sons they should b And, because Egypt's legal system is the model upon which those of several other countries in the Arab Middle East were based, understanding the Egyptian model also helps understand the systems in those other countries. There are several other names that have been used to describe Egypt through its long history. A surviving spouse is not automatically an heir, but can be made one (a legatee) owing to the freedom to make a will. consulate@egyptembassy.net, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 586 New York, NY 10017 47 Idem 319. 51 2003a: 93. 2 Allam 2007: 265. Egypt is a country with many interesting laws and history. egyptnyc@gmail.com, 180 N. Michigan Ave. , Suite 1150 Chicago, IL 60601 (93). 36 Jasnow 2003c: 93. In a legal proceeding, the plaintiff was required to bring suit. Law emerged as a mechanism to maintain maat on earth with the king playing an important part by "making" law.15 The king, as a king god, was the supreme judge and law giver.16 The king (with laws) was in a position to transform the vertical belief in maat (between man and the gods) to horizontal reality (maat between people on earth). Top 11 Weird Facts About Cats Versus Humans, Top 10 Weird Facts About Cats Versus Human. Public expressions of homosexuality and/or public displays of affection between same-sex couples are likely to attract a high degree of unwelcome attention. Both systems seek justice, and both systems rely upon good judges to achieve it. The lexical texts that were found comprise a mixture of paragraphs with some appearing to be excerpts from a law code while others apparently derive from clauses in standard contracts.61 This mixture of law-code paragraphs and contractual forms is found in the Demotic Codex Hermopolis (Papyrus Mattha) dated to the Hellenistic period which provides evidence that similar scholastic traditions must have existed in ancient Egypt despite the fact that none have been found yet. WebMany of them were implemented to raise additional revenue while the purpose of others was to promote social change. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Fact Site is the number one source for the most interesting & random facts about animals, celebrities, food, films, games & so much more. The tribunal then ordered the defendant to appear in court if a point of law seemed to be involved in the dispute. Today our law changes often, but in the ancient Near East different conditions existed, and the basic features of law did not undergo any radical changes for a very long period.104, In the Old Kingdom, the king was in supreme control of legislation, and laws were conceived as expressions of ideal justice. The legal process itself is in essence an attempt to reach a result which both parties involved in a dispute are willing to accept, and to function fairly, a legal process should allow adversaries to explain their respective points of view.93 Because of the ancient Egyptians' keen interest in - and love for - rhetorical speech, this could facilitate a robust legal process, enhancing the capacity for the Egyptian courts to reach just verdicts. The first building in Cairo was a mosque, known today as Al-Azhar Mosque. We know that the king`s viziers often acted as judges, and theoretically anyone with a legal problem could bring a case before a vizier, although it was sometimes difficult to arrange such an audience with busy and important officials. Tel: 713.961.4915 The law of the ancient Near East demonstrates a remarkable continuity in fundamental juridical concepts. Tel: 312.332.7210, 312.332.7214 , 312.332.7216, 312.332.7217 34 Allam 2007: 266. 64 Idem 321. From the weird facts about Egypt, you can see that it is truly a fascinating country. According to Manning the so-called Codex Hermopolis is a collection of texts, or rather a manual, which provides guidance for legal solutions in unusual or difficult cases.62 The guidelines contained in this document were used by the priest-judges to resolve disputes and served as a guide to the writing of certain legal instruments. Witnesses sometimes were called, but usually the judge ruled on the grounds of the documents and the testimony of each party. Biting someone with false teeth is aggravated assault. These laws are the guidelines that all citizens must follow in order to maintain good order. Drinking alcohol in the street and anywhere other than a licensed restaurant or bar is not allowed and can lead to arrest. Of course, much of that authority has been delegated to others. Social equality and impartiality are basic components of fairness and these concepts dictate that everyone should be treated equally and the same before the law.97 In ancient Egypt the pinnacle of concern for legal neutrality occurred during the First Intermediate Period (ca 2200-2040 BCE) and the Middle Kingdom (ca 2024-1674 BCE). This is especially important during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. Nathan J. 111 Idem 14-15. It was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE and named after him; Alexanders other major accomplishments include conquering most of Western Asia and Africa, laying the foundation for Hellenistic culture and becoming one of historys most successful military commanders. The Egyptian word for law is hp ), which admits the same range of translations ("rule", "regulation", "habit", "rite", "ceremony", "cycle") as nt (translated as "custom").71 The underlying idea of both these terms is the idea of recurrence, exemplified by the cosmos and the behaviour of earthly beings.72 Both nt and hp resorted under maat, which literally means "the one who steers", the embodiment of order, which is the reason why both supposedly existed from the beginning of time.73. In Ancient Egypt, cooking oil was taxed - this "fat tax" is one of the oldest known taxes. Indeed, I never took a bribe from anyone.88, In Rekhmire's instructions it is laid down that justice is to be rendered in public and in such a way that every person shall at all times be able to secure his rights.89 In this regard, an appeal is made to a sense of equity and by implication to jurisprudence, as it is pointed out that the records of all judgments are kept in the archives of the vizier to be consulted. In Iowa, its illegal for a man with a mustache to kiss a woman in public. Egyptian citizens can only be photographed after obtaining written permission from them. What are some laws that you find funny? Dress modestly, especially in rural areas, mosques and souqs (markets). 22 See Kruchten 2001: 211; Lesko 1994: 82. Your email address will not be published. Second, if a player scores two goals consecutively (i.e., within a few minutes), he will receive an additional bonus from his club and from sponsors who pay him even more money! Punishments in Egypt are typically more severe than those in western countries. 91 It was believed the world was basically secure and operating in a fixed, regular, routine and natural order (as embodied by maat): see Versteeg 2002: 23. No language other than French is permitted to be shown outdoors. 5 Gahlin 2007: 339. To Dont you dare step out of your house without wearing underwear, the Thailand Wonder how our Punjabis settled there. In some of the places in Africa, it is very much crucial to ask permission from the government to watch the news. This is because Egyptians believe that goals scored in the second half are more valuable than those scored in the first. This particular story was told at length in the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2055-1650), illustrating that even the problems of ordinary peasants were considered important. Yes, it is very much against the law. This one is still on the books but not enforced Missionary is the only legal sexual position. 95 See McDowell 1999: 166. Punishment for serious crimes included penal servitude and execution; mutilation and flogging were often used to punish lesser offenders. Even men wearing shorts would be frowned upon. You can submit your application without our professional services through the government website. Although punishment for criminal offenders could be severeand, in the modern viewpoint, barbaricEgyptian law nevertheless was admirable in its support of basic human rights. His word therefore had the force of law and he was also regarded as the primary source of law.25 The king's duty to make laws is summarised in texts by the phrase "putting maat in place of injustice" and, on temple walls, by images of the king presenting the symbol of maat to the gods.26 This scene of the presentation of maat first appears as an iconographic device in the time of Thutmose III, where her effigy was presented to the gods by the king as sustenance.27, The ancient Egyptians believed that only the king knew the requirements of the maat principle and that his laws were identical to the will of the creator god, which was why the king could maintain law and order and why these laws and rulings of the king reflected the world in harmony.28 It was the king's duty towards the gods and the people to maintain maat by means of promulgating law. Some medications that can be obtained by prescription or over the counter in other countries are controlled substances in Egypt. Bless Italy for making a standing law against it.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'twinavocados_com-leader-3','ezslot_8',613,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-twinavocados_com-leader-3-0'); A pregnant woman is very much allowed to pee ANYWHERE, literally anywhere in the UK, even in a police mens helmet! The king upheld the law and was also subject to the law.20 He had to live his life according to the principles of maat and furthermore he had to maintain maat in society. Theodorides submits that by the beginning of the third millennium BCE the social and administrative system in ancient Egypt was based on the family.46 The Palermo Stone illustrates the ancient Egyptian Nile flood, the annual census of the population and a biennial census of "gold and fields" from at least the Second Dynasty onwards. 13 See Allam 2001: 264. 1330 New Hampshire Ave. NW, B1 Washington D.C. 20036 The term for crime is It is furthermore important to note that this implies that the transfer of personal and landed property from one owner to another was known. The city of Cairo was founded by the Fatimid dynasty in 969 CE to be used as its new capital. Those sentenced to life imprisonment on drugs charges will normally spend the rest of their life in prison with no possibility of parole or pardon. But occasionally, we may get things wrong, or information becomes outdated. 21 Goebs 2001: 216. Yet mummification was an expensive and time-consuming process, reserved for the more wealthy members of society. In this article, the emergence of ancient Egyptian law out of religion and specifically arising from the concept of maat is discussed, as well as the important role played by religion, and specifically maat, in the ancient Egyptians' understanding and development of the law. Click here, to know more. Law, therefore, emerged and developed out of religion, and specifically out of the notion of maat. 87 Idem 270-271. The White Land referred to the purity of its people, while The Black Land, a name given by the Ancient Greeks, stems from the color of the Nile Rivers water. 77 See Allam 2007: 270. International visitors should be aware of certain Egyptian laws and the legality of things that are often taken for granted in other countries, such as alcohol. 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