Hammurabi
c. 1810–1750 BC — Babylon
Era: Ancient
Brilliance: 8/10 | Stewardship: 7/10 | Composite Index: 56
First written law code. Justice carved in stone.
"If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out."
Biography
Hammurabi was the sixth king of Babylon who unified Mesopotamia and created history's first comprehensive written legal code around 1754 BC. His Code of Hammurabi, inscribed on stone pillars, contained 282 laws establishing proportional justice and protecting the vulnerable, fundamentally transforming governance from arbitrary rule to documented precedent. This revolutionary approach to law and order became the foundation for all subsequent legal systems.
Key Facts
- The Code of Hammurabi contained 282 laws covering everything from commerce to family relations to criminal justice
- Famous for the principle of 'an eye for an eye' (lex talionis), though punishments actually varied by social class
- The code was inscribed on a diorite stone stele, 7.5 feet tall, ensuring permanence and public accessibility
- Hammurabi expanded Babylon from a minor city-state into a regional empire controlling all of Mesopotamia
- His reign lasted 43 years and established 300 years of stability in Babylon after his death
Hammurabi carved justice into stone. Democracy started with law.
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