The Philosophy of Judicial Organization in Pharaonic Egypt
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Abstract
The paper aims to study the philosophy of judicial organization in Pharaonic Egypt, one of the oldest legal systems in human history, which formed the intellectual and practical foundation for the concept of justice and the rule of law.
The paper begins with the premise that the judicial system in ancient Egypt was not merely an administrative structure or a set of legal procedures, but rather a reflection of a profound intellectual philosophy expressing the ancient Egyptian worldview, justice, and cosmic order, as embodied in the concept of Ma'at, which represented the essence of moral and legal values in life.
The paper provides a detailed analysis of the components of the judicial organization in the Pharaonic state, starting with the judicial levels in villages and provinces, moving through the central courts, and culminating in the Supreme Council of Justice, which was headed by the Pharaoh as the "Supreme Judge" and protector of the divine and human order.
The paper also discusses the relationship between political, religious, and judicial authority, and clarifies how justice was linked to moral and religious values, such that the practice of justice became a tool for achieving a balance between the will of the gods and the social order. This research is based on a philosophical, analytical, and comparative historical approach, relying on the study of legal and funerary texts and inscriptions, and the analysis of religious symbols and intellectual values that established the concept of justice.
The paper concluded that the philosophy of judicial organization in Pharaonic Egypt rested on two fundamental principles: (1) that justice is not merely a positive law but a sacred, universal value; and (2) that the Pharaoh is the guarantor of the embodiment of this justice in political and social reality.
The paper affirms that the ancient Egyptian judicial experience represented the first integrated model of the rule of law and social justice in human history, and contributed to the formulation of the philosophical concept of justice that was later adopted by Greek and Roman civilizations.