In Quest for Sanctity and Inviolability of Human Life: Capital Punishment in Herodotus Book 1.

Abstract

It is a common knowledge that workers both in the public and private sector spends their wages on critical needs such as rent, school fees, food, transportation, recharge cards and healthcare (moller,2004). They are also predominantly expose to economic risk, natural risk, health risk, life cycle risks, policy based and institutional risks, social and political risk (Geneva, ILO-STEP). Various government including Nigeria, historically have been able to introduce some forms of ad-hoc interventions programmes such as mortgage rent reduction, reduction in taxes, cancellation or postponement of loan payment and other form of direct subsidies (Townsend, 1994). Majority of these measures are privileges and not “right” in most developing countries including Nigeria (Sigma, 2005; UNDP 2003). Practiced in almost all ancient and traditional societies, with debates for and against, among lawgivers and philosophers, Capital punishment, also known as death penalty, was a part of the Athenian Greek law code as early as the time of Draco during the 7th Century BC. The debates and controversies continue until date. Is it just, unjust or a false justice? As at the year 2018, according to Amnesty International,1 55 countries of modern civilized world retain death penalty while a certain number have completely abolished it. Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, in his Histories, record many instances of state sanctioned capital punishments. This paper, an attempt to accentuate the unjust nature of capital punishment and support its complete universal abolition, identifies three references to death penalty in Herodotus Book 1: combing, impaling and stoning. Book I of Herodotus was context analysed and interpreted with evidence from other relevant literary and historical sources. Arguments for death penalty include serving as deterrent to potential offenders and some sort of justice for the victims and family, especially in the case of murder; and the state, in the case of treason and other capital offences. Findings, however, revealed that capital punishment seldom curb potential criminals and might embittered and encouraged grievous crimes while discoveries of errors in judgment, among other reasons, could make death sentences unjust. The paper concluded by recommending prevention of such crimes necessitating capital punishments and proffered making greater efforts towards total abolition. Keywords: Capital punishment, Herodotus, Herodotus Histories, Justice, Death penalty.