Code of Hammurabi

The Most Influential Law Code of the Ancient World

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Definition

The Code of Hammurabi was a set of 282 laws inscribed in stone by the Babylonian king Hammurabi (reign 1792-1750 BCE), who conquered and then ruled ancient Mesopotamia. Although his law code was not the first, it was the most clearly defined and influenced the laws of other cultures.

More about: Code of Hammurabi

Timeline

  • c. 2100 BCE - c. 2050 BCE
    The Code of Ur-Nammu (the oldest extant code of laws) is written.
  • c. 1930 BCE
    The Laws of Eshnunna written in the city of Eshnunna, Mesopotamia.
  • c. 1870 BCE - 1860 BCE
    Law code of Lipit-Ishtar written.
  • c. 1772 BCE
    The Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest codes of law in the world.
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