10 Questions
What is the Code of Hammurabi?
A set of 282 laws inscribed on a stone stele
What was the purpose of the Code of Hammurabi?
To establish a judicial system and written laws for societal stability
Who established the Third Dynasty of Ur and a written legal code in Sumer?
Ur-Nammu
What is the significance of Hammurabi's code in the history of written law?
It set specific penalties for crimes
What did Hammurabi's code require in terms of legal procedure?
Consistent standard of proof
Where is the stele containing the Code of Hammurabi located today?
Louvre in Paris
What precedent did Hammurabi's code set for later law systems?
Influenced Mosaic laws and Greco-Roman laws
What distinguishes the Code of Hammurabi from the Code of Ur-Nammu?
It contained laws based on age, profession, gender, and social class
What specific rights were defined in the Code of Hammurabi?
Presumption of innocence
What were some examples of laws in the Code of Hammurabi?
Death penalty for helping an enslaved person escape
Study Notes
- The Code of Ur-Nammu, written around 2100 BCE, is the oldest known written legal code.
- The Code of Hammurabi, written around 1750 BCE during Hammurabi's reign, is the oldest extant legal code.
- The Code of Hammurabi was written in a conditional "if/then" format.
- The Code of Hammurabi established specific penalties for crimes, based on nature and severity.
- The Code of Hammurabi defined certain rights, such as the presumption of innocence and rights for people with debt.
- The Code of Hammurabi contained laws regarding marriage, divorce, and slavery.
- The Code of Hammurabi was more nuanced than the Code of Ur-Nammu, with laws based on age, profession, gender, and social class.
- The Code of Hammurabi included laws regarding agriculture, property, and personal injuries.
- Some examples of laws in the Code of Hammurabi were the death penalty for falsely accusing someone of a crime, death penalty for stealing from a temple, and the death penalty for helping an enslaved person escape.
- The Code of Hammurabi established a system of justice that limited the amount of retribution the victim could enact.
- The Code of Hammurabi set specific pay rates for various services, such as medicine and construction.
- The Code of Hammurabi provided a foundation for the development of legal systems in the Western world.
Test your knowledge on Hammurabi's Code and the reign of King Hammurabi, including his public works projects, military campaigns, and the expansion of the Babylonian Empire. Learn about one of the earliest recorded legal codes and the ruler who established it.
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