4.9 KiB
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
Review Queue
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@q[temporal]Line 10: "Date: ~1754 BCE" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 11: "Issuer: Hammurabi, King of Babylon" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 12: "Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 13: "Medium: Basalt stele, 2.25 m tall" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 14: "Current location: Louvre Museum, Paris (discovered at Susa, 1901)" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 17: "Prologue: Hammurabi as divinely appointed shepherd of his people" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 18: "282 laws organized by topic" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 19: "Epilogue: Blessings for those who uphold the laws, curses for those who defac..." - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 22: "Lex talionis: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (with class-based mo..." - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 23: "Three social classes: awilum (free), mushkenum (dependent), wardum (slave)" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 24: "Covers: Property, trade, family law, labor, personal injury, agriculture" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 25: "Presumption of innocence in some cases; trial by ordeal in others 2 " - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 28: "Not the earliest code (preceded by Code of Ur-Nammu) but the most complete" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 29: "Provides detailed picture of Old Babylonian society" - when was this true? -
@q[temporal]Line 30: "Influenced later Near Eastern legal traditions" - when was this true? -
@q[missing]Line 10: "Date: ~1754 BCE" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 11: "Issuer: Hammurabi, King of Babylon" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 12: "Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 13: "Medium: Basalt stele, 2.25 m tall" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 14: "Current location: Louvre Museum, Paris (discovered at Susa, 1901)" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 17: "Prologue: Hammurabi as divinely appointed shepherd of his people" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 18: "282 laws organized by topic" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 22: "Lex talionis: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (with class-based mo..." - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 23: "Three social classes: awilum (free), mushkenum (dependent), wardum (slave)" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 24: "Covers: Property, trade, family law, labor, personal injury, agriculture" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 28: "Not the earliest code (preceded by Code of Ur-Nammu) but the most complete" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 29: "Provides detailed picture of Old Babylonian society" - what is the source? -
@q[missing]Line 30: "Influenced later Near Eastern legal traditions" - what is the source? -
@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? -
@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?