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# Code of Hammurabi

# Code of Hammurabi

## Overview
The Code of Hammurabi (~1754 BCE) is one of the most complete and well-known ancient legal codes, inscribed on a basalt stele and containing 282 laws governing Babylonian society.

## Key Facts
- Date: ~1754 BCE
- Issuer: Hammurabi, King of Babylon
- Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)
- Medium: Basalt stele, 2.25 m tall
- Current location: Louvre Museum, Paris (discovered at Susa, 1901)

## Structure
- Prologue: Hammurabi as divinely appointed shepherd of his people
- 282 laws organized by topic
- Epilogue: Blessings for those who uphold the laws, curses for those who deface the stele [^1]

## Legal Principles
- *Lex talionis*: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (with class-based modifications)
- Three social classes: *awilum* (free), *mushkenum* (dependent), *wardum* (slave)
- Covers: Property, trade, family law, labor, personal injury, agriculture
- Presumption of innocence in some cases; trial by ordeal in others [^2]

## Significance
- Not the earliest code (preceded by Code of Ur-Nammu) but the most complete
- Provides detailed picture of Old Babylonian society
- Influenced later Near Eastern legal traditions

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[^1]: Roth, M.T. *Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor* (1997)
[^2]: Driver, G.R. & Miles, J.C. *The Babylonian Laws* (Oxford, 1952–1955)
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## Review Queue

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- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 10: "Date: ~1754 BCE" - when was this true?
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- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 11: "Issuer: Hammurabi, King of Babylon" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 12: "Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 13: "Medium: Basalt stele, 2.25 m tall" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 14: "Current location: Louvre Museum, Paris (discovered at Susa, 1901)" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 17: "Prologue: Hammurabi as divinely appointed shepherd of his people" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 18: "282 laws organized by topic" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 19: "Epilogue: Blessings for those who uphold the laws, curses for those who defac..." - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 22: "*Lex talionis*: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (with class-based mo..." - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 23: "Three social classes: *awilum* (free), *mushkenum* (dependent), *wardum* (slave)" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 24: "Covers: Property, trade, family law, labor, personal injury, agriculture" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 25: "Presumption of innocence in some cases; trial by ordeal in others [^2]" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 28: "Not the earliest code (preceded by Code of Ur-Nammu) but the most complete" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 29: "Provides detailed picture of Old Babylonian society" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 30: "Influenced later Near Eastern legal traditions" - when was this true?
> Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 10: "Date: ~1754 BCE" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Issuer: Hammurabi, King of Babylon" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 12: "Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 13: "Medium: Basalt stele, 2.25 m tall" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 14: "Current location: Louvre Museum, Paris (discovered at Susa, 1901)" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 17: "Prologue: Hammurabi as divinely appointed shepherd of his people" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 18: "282 laws organized by topic" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 22: "*Lex talionis*: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (with class-based mo..." - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 23: "Three social classes: *awilum* (free), *mushkenum* (dependent), *wardum* (slave)" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 24: "Covers: Property, trade, family law, labor, personal injury, agriculture" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 28: "Not the earliest code (preceded by Code of Ur-Nammu) but the most complete" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 29: "Provides detailed picture of Old Babylonian society" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 30: "Influenced later Near Eastern legal traditions" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1], Driver & Miles (1952-1955) [^2]
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 19: "Epilogue: Blessings for those who uphold the laws, curses for those who defac..." - Roth source from 1997 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Roth's work on ancient law codes is still authoritative.
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 25: "Presumption of innocence in some cases; trial by ordeal in others [^2]" - Driver source from 1952 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Driver & Miles' work on Babylonian law is still foundational.