Chosen By The Gods: The Rule of the Hammurabi Code
From 1792 – 1708 B.C., Hammurabi ruled as the sixth king of the Amorite Dynasty of Old Babylon. Hammurabi holds the honor of being the first Mesopotamian king to unite most of Mesopotamia into what eventually became Babylonia. A triumphant military leader, Hammurabi is most noted for enacting one of the earliest sets of written laws, known as the Code of Hammurabi. Written in 1750 B.C., the Code sat engraved on a diorite stele in the center of Babylon for all the public to see and follow. Babylonians believed Hammurabi received these codes from Shamash, the god of justice.
The Code of Hammurabi consists of three sections, the Prologue, the Laws, and the Epilogue. The Prologue laid out the purpose of the Code, while the second section listed the actual laws. The third and final section, the Epilogue set forth consequences for those who violated the Code. The Code helped to create the society of justice and good government Hammurabi believed the supreme god, Marduk, charged him to create. The Code contained laws for every aspect of Babylonian life, from marriage to slavery, trade to debtors. Justice for violators came in the form of lawsuits in which fines or even death, as dictated by the Code, were judged and carried out. Punishment was often harsh. Babylonians, owing to Hammurabi’s strict adherence to the Code, regarded it as a subject worthy of prayer and reverence.
Hammurabi’s laws greatly influenced the ideas of justice and government in future societies. From Romans to modern Western civilization, elements of the Code of Hammurabi are still in practice today. The diorite stele depicting Hammurabi receiving the Code from Shamash and listing the original 282 laws now sits in the Louvre Museum, and example of the earliest known legal system.
The following resources provide in-depth information about Hammurabi, as well as full texts of the Code of Hammurabi.
All About Hammurabi: Catholic Encyclopedia entry covering Hammurabi’s reign, his military history, and the discovery of his laws in 1901.
Ancient History Sourcebook: A full text entry on Babylonian Law from the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed.
Ancient Near Eastern Law: Indexed copy of Hammurabi’s Code, broken down by prologue, paragraph sections, and epilogue.
Basic Hammurabi: Brief overview of Hammurabi and his laws. PDF includes lesson plans for schoolteachers.
The Code of Hammurabi: A copy of the full Code of Hammurabi, including all three sections.
Digital Hammurabi: Discusses the advancement of digital scanning to assist with cataloging cuneiform tablets from the time of Hammurabi to protect relics from over handling.
The Diorite Stele: A full color photo of the stone bearing the Code of Hammurabi.
Hammurabi’s Babylon: Discussion of Babylon before, during, and after Hammurabi’s rule.
Hammurabi’s Code of Laws: Hammurabi’s Code in a browser-friendly format (limited graphics, no backgrounds, sidebars, or other text.)
Hammurabi’s Code by Topic: Select excerpts from Hammurabi’s code listed by the subject the law addresses.
Introduction to the Code: An introduction to the Code of Hammurabi, written in 1915 by Charles F. Horne, Ph.D.
The Laws of Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations: Oxford University Library guide to resources on ancient laws, including the Code of Hammurabi.
Mesopotamia Government: A brief explanation of Mesopotamia before and during Hammurabi’s rule.
Revising Hammurabi’s Time: Argues when and how Hammurabi ruled Babylon based on previous finds and newer information.
Still Influencing Society: In 2000, Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin used the Code of Hammurabi in a commentary on current death penalty policies.
