Babylon's blazing rise to power, like a rocket soaring high into the sky, was launched by its brilliant king, Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C.). Bold and visionary, he conquered cities from the Nineveh region to the Persian Gulf, and then devised a code of laws to unify and rule the empire he created.
The Babylonians believed that the gods bestowed justice and that kings were the gods' earthly agents. An inscription on a majestic, eight-foot-tall, black basalt stele (stone slab) that details Hammurabi's decrees makes this clear. Carved at the top is Hammurabi, standing before Shamash, the sun god and "Lord of Judgment." The king's hand is raised in worship as Shamash gives him the laws, which are recorded (on the surface) below.
In 4,000 chiseled
The Babylonians believed that the gods bestowed justice and that kings were the gods' earthly agents. An inscription on a majestic, eight-foot-tall, black basalt stele (stone slab) that details Hammurabi's decrees makes this clear. Carved at the top is Hammurabi, standing before Shamash, the sun god and "Lord of Judgment." The king's hand is raised in worship as Shamash gives him the laws, which are recorded (on the surface) below.
In 4,000 chiseled