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ANCIENT LAW: A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION The history of Western civilization is a grand but tragic drama. The west has brought about the instruments of reason that make possible a rational comprehension of physical nature and human culture. It has formed the concept of political liberty and recognized the inherent worth of the individual. With this civilization, maintaining law and order has always been a struggle. The criminal element has long since been a part of all levels and forms of society. Over the centuries, law has transcended from a brutal, military establishment, to an accepted and necessary means to maintain order in society. It has been influenced by many factors, including religion and politics. The cultural variances of law and legal institution are vast and always changing. This paper will focus on several of these cultures. Before analyzing the cultural variances and changes of law and legal institutions, there must be an understanding of the meanings of civilization and humanism. Civilization, as defined by historians, first emerged between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago. Humanism has a number of meanings, and because there are so many different meanings it can be quite confusing if you don’t k