Stele Of Hammurabi Essay

The Stele of Hammurabi is one of the earliest identified codes of laws. Inscribed upon an impressive seven-and-a-half feet tall pillar are 282 laws and standards, which the King of Babylon, Hammurabi, formed in the 18th Century B.C. These laws that he created for his people covered topics from adoption to property rights. Although it contains a retributive justice system, primitive punishments, and gender and status inequality, it was one of the most comprehensive compendiums of law of its time. The code is divided into three sections: historical prologue, which tells the story of Hammurabi and how he was ordained to be the protector of the oppressed, and his empire and successes; lyrical epilogue, which summarizes his legal works and how he intends to sustain it; and finally, the laws, which are framed by the previous two sections on the stele. These laws are written in the simplest of the Akkadian language so even the lesser men could understand them—however, some say that misinterpretations still occurred at that time despite this. I think Hammurabi was an innovative ruler, who not only sought to maintain a sense of order in his kingdom, but who wanted to establish a kingdom that would serve as a model for future kingdoms, by establishing these laws. This is incredibly important to us, because artifacts like the Stele of Hammurabi have, in some way or another, helped formed and shaped our society and the

This is seen in his buildings of canals, code of laws, food distribution, and building projects. He had also somehow unified the city-states of Mesopotamia into an empire, and then ruling over it, and established Babylon as one of the most renowned cities of the ancient world. The Stele of Hammurabi is one of the many great things that he had accomplished in his