King Hammurabi: The Role Of The Law In Ancient Babylon

Babylonia was an ancient cultural area in central-southern Mesopotamia, which is now present-day Iraq. King Hammurabi (1728-1686 B.C.E.) was the sixth king in the Babylonian dynasty (Fiero 2011). The written laws in ancient Babylon became essential in the Mesopotamian society when Hammurabi ruled. The factors that contributed to the written laws were to attain justice, to promote welfare, and to remove wicked and evil in the world (Andrews 2013). Each of the 282 laws was written on stones that positioned outside the main gates to the city (Fiero 2011). Death was used for punishment, which firmly pushed Hammurabi's kingdom towards peace (Andrews 2013). More importantly, by applying this technique the citizens were terrified to defy the law.

The Sumerian traditions played a major role in later Babylonian culture, and the area would remain an important cultural center, even under prolonged and extensive periods of outside rule (Fiero 2011). King Hammurabi ruled for 43 years and the 30th year of his reign (Andrews 2013). Hammurabi united Mesopotamia under one government, that meant that if you do something criminal, then the same will be done to you (Fiero 2011). He was a trained soldier and a smart king who realized that to the improved rule of his empire, he needed to demand harmony and respect (Andrews 2013). The most remarkable feat of Hammurabi's reign was his Code of Laws (Fiero 2011). The Code of Hammurabi is one of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length in the world and is one of the first written codes of law in history (Andrews