Author

Hammurabi of Babylon

About Hammurabi of Babylon

Hammurabi was king of Babylon in Mesopotamia, reigning about 1792–1750 BC by the usual modern dating. He united much of southern Mesopotamia under Babylon through war and diplomacy, and late in his reign set up stone monuments inscribed with nearly three hundred laws, presented as judgments given to him by the gods so that the strong should not oppress the weak.

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The Code of Hammurabi

Hammurabi of Babylon

c. 1754 BC (stele); English translation by C. H. W. Johns, 1903 · Ancient · Political Theory

The Code of Hammurabi is the best-known law collection of the ancient Near East. It was carved in Akkadian cuneiform on a black stone pillar, about seven feet tall, set up by Hammurabi, king of Babylon, in the eighteenth century BC.

medium medical relevanceJustice LawCrime / PunishmentPower / Politics