severely that she miscarried her child, he would be forced to pay restitution. The amount of the compensation was determined by the social status of the expecting mother, ten shekels of silver for the fetus of a noblewoman, five for the fetus of a woman from the commoner class, and two for the fetus of a noble's slave woman. Through the lens of assault, we can further uncover the legal rights of Mesopotamian women. Men were given punishments for the crimes they committed. The Code of Hammurabi dictated that if a father raped his daughter, he would be banished from the city. The punishment dictated for a man who rapes a virgin bride during the engagement period for which she still lives with her family is much harsher. In this situation, the rapist is executed, and the woman is allowed to go free. Laws regulating sex were also prominent in Mesopotamian law. Adultery, seen as a crime against the community and its morals. Though the husband was not entitled to any financial compensation or the right to lessen his wife's punishment under the law he could save her from execution. If a wife of another man was caught laying with another man, The Code of Hammurabi states that they should be executed together, unless the husband allows his wife to live in which case the king would also pardon the man she engaged in relations with. If a husband accuses his wife of adultery without catching her in the act, all she must do is swear her innocence in an oath to god. If she is accused by someone who is not her husband under the same circumstances, she must submit to the Divine River ordeal to prove her innocence to her husband. Though Mesopotamian law allowed a woman to function on her own, the societal norm was to act under the management of a male family member such as a brother, husband, or adult son. Rarely were single women in charge of their own households without a masculine influence. Egyptian law In Ancient Egypt, legally, a woman shared the same rights and status as a man – at least, theoretically. An Egyptian woman was entitled to her own private property, which could include land, livestock, slaves and servants, etc. She had the right to inherit whatever anyone bequeathed to her, as well as bequeathing her belongings to others. She