Hammurabi's Law Codes.

Introduction: Law is a method of organizing a Society or Civilization. The law codes usually reflect social and cultural values. Evidence shows that about 4000 years ago that Hammurabi, King of Babylon, codified a complex law system. There are many issues dealt with in these laws. The law codes were considered a change in people's lives. Hammurabi suggested these law codes between the years 1792-1750 BC, there were 282 law codes. There had been recent evidence of law systems and rules between 1850-1790 BC. One of the principle functions of the law is to maintain order, and to ensure the rights and responsibilities of its citizens are met. One of the great contributions the ancient Mesopotamian's made to civilization is the invention of writing. His Law codes related to governance, society economy and culture. Law and justice were key concepts in the Babylonian way of life.

The Body: Hammurabi created a code protecting all classes of Babylonian society, including women and slaves.

The upper part of the stela of Hammurapis' code of...

Code_of_Hammurabi.jpg

Code of laws of Hammurabi

He sought protection of the weak from the powerful and the poor from the rich. The carving on the stone on which the code was written depicts Hammurabi receiving the divine laws from the sun god, the god most often associated with justice. French archaeologists at ancient Elam unearthed this stone in 1901-02. The Black diorite rock is 2.4 meters high and had been broken into three pieces. The code of Hammurabi is significant because its creation allowed men, women, slaves and all others to read and understand the laws that governed their lives in Babylon. It is unique in that laws of other civilizations were not written down, and thus could be manipulated to suite the rulers that dictated them. The code is particularly just for its time. Although it follows the practice of "an eye for...