Hammurabi was no Greek

In a commentary titled “Healthcare ethics in PH” (Opinion, 4/8/16), Santiago A. del Rosario wrote:

“In Greek mythology, Hammurabi and Asclepius, both physicians, became gods after death because they were benevolent icons of power and good behavior.”

I beg your pardon. Hammurabi was not Greek, neither was he a physician. Hammurabi was the sixth king of the First Babylonian Empire. He reigned from 1792 to 1750 BC and was best known for the Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest surviving codes of law in recorded history. The code imposed the doctrine of “an eye for an eye” for specific offenses.

Asclepius was the Greek god of healing in Greek mythology, but Hammurabi was Babylonian, not Greek.

—JAMES LEE, PhD, [email protected]