Hammurabi's Code

The Code of Hammurabi is the oldest known set of laws. The purpose of the code was to protect all classes of Babylonian society. Hammurabi's code consisted of 282 laws.

The code was inscribed on an eight foot tall stela, which was set up in the temple of Marduk. It is numbered from 1-282, but numbers 13 and 66-99 are missing. These numbers most-likely got rubbed off of the stone.

Everybody had to follow the code,but punishments weren't the same for every person. Punishments varied depending on the status of the offender and the circumstances of the offenses. The code was out on display for all to see. The reason for this was so that no man was able to use the excuse of ignorance to the law.

The code of Hammurabi was way ahead of its time. Hammurabi purposely had the laws carved into stone so that they were immutable. Hammurabi intended the code to be applied to a much larger area than it was.

The code of Hammurabi was discovered in December of 1901 in Iran. It is now on display in the Louvre in Paris. The code of Hammurabi was a vital piece of history. Without it there would be a civilization that existed, but had no record of existence.