Note 1 — Chapter III · Recall of Judges.

Speaking upon the antiquity of courts and judges, John, in his “Babylonian and Assyrian Laws,” says: “Partly because specific reference to judges and legal processes are not necessarily to be expected in historical inscriptions, and partly because we do not really know which are the earliest monuments of the human race, it is impossible to decide when law-courts first came into existence. It is generally admitted, however, that the stele of Manistusu is one of the earliest known monuments. There we read of Galzu, a judge. There also we find many of the officials, who later acted as judges upon occasion. Hence it may fairly be said that judges were to be found in ancient Babylonia from time immemorial. They must have decided what was right when there was no written law to which to appeal.”

“Babylonian and Assyrian Laws,” c. v. p. 80.