Keith Mack
The Babylonian ruler Hammurabi, who reigned from 1795 to 1750 BCE, created a law code that is considered one of the oldest deciphered writings of length in the world. Known as the Code of Hammurabi, it consisted of 282 laws addressing various aspects of society, including criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law. Hammurabi's laws were inscribed on a stele and placed in a public space, making them accessible to all literate citizens. The code is notable for its emphasis on punishing perpetrators rather than compensating victims and its influence on the legal traditions of other cultures, including the Mosaic Law of the Bible. Hammurabi's legacy as a lawgiver endured even after his empire's collapse, and he is regarded as an important figure in the history of law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the law code | The Code of Hammurabi |
| Number of laws | 282 |
| Focus | Physical punishment of the perpetrator |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Scope | Criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law |
| Number of lines | 4,130 |
| Prologue | 300 |
| Epilogue | 500 |
| Prologue and Epilogue | Written in poetic style |
| Purpose | To prevent the strong from oppressing the weak |
| Number of tablets | 12 |
| Stele material | Basalt |
| Stele height | 2.25 m (7 ft 4+1⁄2 in) |
| Stele discovery site | Susa, present-day Iran |
| Current location of the stele | Louvre Museum, Paris, France |
| Number of social classes | 3 (amelu, mushkenu, ardu) |
| Number of successors until the fall of the empire | 4 |
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What You'll Learn
- The Code of Hammurabi was one of the oldest deciphered writings of length in the world
- The Code of Hammurabi was written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian
- The Code of Hammurabi was inscribed on a stele and placed in a public location
- The Code of Hammurabi is the most complete extant collection of Babylonian laws
- The Code of Hammurabi's influence on the Mosaic Law
The Code of Hammurabi was one of the oldest deciphered writings of length in the world
The Code of Hammurabi is one of the oldest deciphered writings of substantial length in the world. It is a Babylonian legal text composed during 1755–1750 BCE or around 1754 BCE. The code was written by Hammurabi, the sixth king of Babylon, and is a collection of 282 laws dealing with a wide range of issues, including criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law. The code is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian and is inscribed on a basalt stele that stands 2.25 metres (7 feet 4.5 inches) tall. The stele was originally placed in a public place in Babylon so that all could see it, although it is thought that few were literate at the time. The Akkadian script would have been readable by any literate person in the city, as it was the daily language of Babylon.
The Code of Hammurabi is notable for its comprehensive approach to law, covering a range of subjects from criminal acts to medical practices. For example, the code includes specific rules that regulate medical treatments, set surgery fees, and punish malpractice. The code also includes the famous ""an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (lex talionis) form of punishment, which has been interpreted as an early form of the presumption of innocence. The laws are casuistic, expressed as ""if...then" conditional sentences.
The code was studied, copied, and used as a model for legal reasoning for at least 1500 years after its creation. Copies have been found dating from one thousand years after the stele's creation, and it was translated into multiple languages in the early 20th century. The stele was rediscovered in 1901 at the site of Susa in present-day Iran, where it had been taken as plunder six hundred years after its creation. The stele now resides in the Louvre Museum in Paris, with replicas in institutions around the world, including the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City.
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The Code of Hammurabi was written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian
The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed between 1755 and 1750 BC. It is the longest, best-preserved, and best-organized legal text from the ancient Near East. Hammurabi, purportedly the sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon, is credited with writing the code. The code is said to have been inscribed on a basalt stele, which was discovered in 1901 in present-day Iran, where it had been taken as plunder six hundred years after its creation. The text, written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian, features an image of Hammurabi with Shamash, the Babylonian sun god and god of justice.
The Code of Hammurabi is made up of approximately 4,130 lines of cuneiform text, with one-fifth dedicated to the prologue and epilogue, written in a poetic style. The remaining four-fifths contain the laws, which cover a wide range of topics, including criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law. The laws are written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian, which was the daily language of Babylon. Akkadian replaced Sumerian during this time, and Hammurabi initiated language reforms that contributed to its widespread use.
The prologue of the Code of Hammurabi asserts that Hammurabi was chosen by the gods, specifically Anum, the Babylonian sky god, and Enlil, the wind god, to rule Babylon "to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak." The laws themselves are written in a casuistic format, with "if-then" conditional sentences. This format was common in ancient Near Eastern law, where the king, in this case, Hammurabi, was considered the primary source of legislation.
The Code of Hammurabi is significant because it is one of the earliest known examples of a comprehensive legal code. It demonstrates the complexity of Old Babylonian society and has been admired for its perceived fairness and respect for the rule of law. The code also influenced later legal traditions, such as the Mosaic Law, and has been studied by scholars for its historical and legal insights into ancient Babylonian society.
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The Code of Hammurabi was inscribed on a stele and placed in a public location
The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed between 1755 and 1750 BC. It is the longest, best-organised, and best-preserved legal text from the ancient Near East. The code is a collection of 282 laws written by scribes on 12 tablets. It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian, the daily language of Babylon, and could be read by any literate person in the city.
The Code of Hammurabi was inscribed on a basalt stele 2.25 metres (7 feet 4+1⁄2 inches) tall and placed in a public location. The stele features an image in relief of Hammurabi with Shamash, the Babylonian sun god and god of justice. Below the relief are about 4,130 lines of cuneiform text: one-fifth contains a prologue and epilogue in poetic style, while the remaining four-fifths contain the laws. The laws are casuistic, expressed as "if...then" conditional sentences. Their scope is broad, including criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law. The largest category of laws in the code focuses on marriage and family.
The stele was rediscovered in 1901 at the site of Susa in present-day Iran, where it had been taken as plunder six hundred years after its creation. The text was copied and studied by Mesopotamian scribes for over a millennium. The stele now resides in the Louvre Museum in Paris, with replicas in America and elsewhere in Europe.
Hammurabi was the sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon and is best known for issuing the Code of Hammurabi. He was revered as a great conqueror and lawgiver, and even during his lifetime, he was honoured as a god.
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The Code of Hammurabi is the most complete extant collection of Babylonian laws
The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed during 1755–1750 BC. It is the longest, best-organized, and best-preserved legal text from the ancient Near East. The Code of Hammurabi is made up of 282 laws written by scribes on 12 tablets. It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian, the daily language of Babylon, and could be read by any literate person in the city. Hammurabi is regarded outside Assyriology as an important figure in the history of law, and the document as a true legal code. The Code of Hammurabi is not the earliest surviving law code but was more influential in world politics and international relations. This is because, unlike earlier Sumerian law codes that focused on compensating the victim of a crime, the Code of Hammurabi focused on physically punishing the perpetrator.
The Code of Hammurabi was inscribed on a stele and placed in a public place so that all could see it. The stele was later plundered by the Elamites and removed to their capital, Susa, where it was rediscovered in 1901 in Iran. The stele now resides in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The top of the stele features an image in relief of Hammurabi with Shamash, the Babylonian sun god and god of justice. Below the relief are about 4,130 lines of cuneiform text: one-fifth contains a prologue and epilogue in poetic style, while the remaining four-fifths contain the laws. In the prologue, Hammurabi claims to have been granted his rule by the gods "to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak". The laws are casuistic, expressed as "if...then" conditional sentences. Their scope is broad, including, for example, criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law.
Modern scholars responded to the Code with admiration for its perceived fairness and respect for the rule of law, and the complexity of Old Babylonian society. There was also much discussion of its influence on the Mosaic Law. Scholars quickly identified lex talionis—the "eye for an eye" principle—underlying the two collections. The Code of Hammurabi also bears strong similarities to later Mesopotamian law collections, such as the casuistic Middle Assyrian Laws and the Neo-Babylonian Laws. Lastly, although influence is more difficult to trace, there is evidence that the Hittite laws may have been part of the same tradition of legal writing outside Mesopotamia proper.
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The Code of Hammurabi's influence on the Mosaic Law
The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed during 1755–1750 BC. It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian and consists of 282 laws dealing with a wide range of issues. Hammurabi, the sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon, is believed to have authored this code. The code was inscribed on a stele and placed in a public area, making it accessible to all literate people in the city.
The Mosaic Law, on the other hand, is a set of laws found in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. It is rooted in the worship of a single God and addresses sin, responsibility to God, and personal and national holiness, in addition to legal matters.
There are striking similarities between the Code of Hammurabi and the Mosaic Law, leading to debates about their relationship. For example, both codes contain the "'eye for an eye' principle, also known as lex talionis. Additionally, there are parallels in provisions concerning a man-goring ox (Code of Hammurabi laws 250–252, Exodus 21:28–32) and in the case of a person being injured during a quarrel (Statute 206 of the Code of Hammurabi, Exodus 21:18-19).
Some scholars argue for a direct influence of the Code of Hammurabi on the Mosaic Law, suggesting that the latter is a "creative rewriting of Mesopotamian sources." They highlight the similarities in content and structure, such as the inclusion of prologues and epilogues written in a poetic style.
However, others propose indirect influence, suggesting that the similarities arise from common traditions and the likelihood that the Hebrews of Moses' time were familiar with Babylonian laws. Additionally, it is important to note that similar law codes, even older than Hammurabi's, have been discovered, further complicating claims of direct influence.
Despite the similarities, there are also significant differences between the two codes. The Mosaic Law elevates the sanctity of human life, emphasizing compassion and mercy, while the Code of Hammurabi has been criticized for its harsh and brutal punishments, reflecting a lower view of human life. The Mosaic Law focuses on spiritual matters and personal relationships with God, while the Code of Hammurabi is primarily concerned with criminal and civil laws.
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Frequently asked questions
Hammurabi was the sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon and is best known for his creation of the Code of Hammurabi.
The Code of Hammurabi is a collection of 282 laws written on 12 clay tablets and a large stone stele. It is the longest, best-organized, and best-preserved legal text from the ancient Near East.
The Code of Hammurabi covered a wide range of issues, including criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law. The punishments outlined in the code varied based on social status, with separate laws for slaves, free men, and property owners.
The Code of Hammurabi is considered one of the oldest deciphered writings of its length in the world and is renowned for its fairness and respect for the rule of law. It has been recognized as an early form of constitutional government and has influenced the laws of various cultures, including the Middle Assyrian Laws, the Neo-Babylonian Laws, and the Mosaic Law of the Bible.
