Code Of Hammurabi Essay

The Code of Hammurabi was a set of legal laws developed by King Hammurabi of the First Dynasty which was carved onto black stone stele in 1752 BCE in early Babylonian times. These codes were significant at the time since they were the earliest set of laws found and preserved from ancient Mesopotamia. The Code of Hammurabi included a set of 282 laws and rules which managed to survive to be analyzed by archaeologists and historians in the present day. Hammurabi, through these laws, sought to preserve the integrity of Babylon, as well as present rules and laws that revolved around theft, murder, property damage, violations of citizens’ rights, and other forms of crimes and their respective punishment. It also provided solutions for common disputes between people and guidelines for citizens to follow, such as rules about debt, trading, hired labor, etc. The Codes also divided society into a hierarchy, with three distinct classes: the noble and wealthy landowners, the middle and the poor social classes, and the slaves. On the stone stela where the Code of Hammurabi was carved, there was an image that went along with three sections of text: prologue, laws, and epilogue. The image, as well as the prologue and …show more content…
The stele that the codes were written on were displayed for all to see, therefore, no one could plead ignorance of the law as an excuse. However, since a majority of people were illiterate back during this era, much of the code was handed down through oral communication. Even so, there were many fatal misunderstandings that occurred due to the lack of literacy. Also, even with a social hierarchy of the three classes that put some citizens in a more privileged position, the code instituted punishments to all classes, despite the social standing of the