HAMMURABI'S CODE: ITS IMPORTANCE IN LEGAL HISTORY

The strong might not oppress the weak” that’s how the 2.25-metre-high stele containing Hammurabi’s Code begins. King Hammurabi was the sixth ruler of the First Babylonian Dynasty, reigning from 1792 to 1750 BCE. He is best known for his remarkable efforts in the creation of Hammurabi’s Code around 1754 BCE, one of the earliest and most comprehensive written legal codes in history. The code consisted of 282 laws that governed everything from trade and property to marriage and criminal justice, emphasizing the king’s role in establishing a system of justice and maintaining order and fairness in society. Hammurabi’s Code is one of the earliest and most comprehensive written laws played a crucial role in shaping the development of later law systems by establishing principles of justice, punishment, and social order. It hasn’t only had a great influence on Ancient Babylon, but also it laid the groundwork for later legal structures in the ancient civilizations, including Mosaic Law and Roman Law, and it set standards for the laws in modern legal systems.