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Hammurabi
Hammurabi (r. 1792-1750 BCE) was the sixth king of the Amorite First Dynasty of Babylon best known for his famous law code which served as the model for others, including the Mosaic Law of the Bible. He was the first ruler able to successfully...
Definition
Code of Hammurabi
The Code of Hammurabi was a set of 282 laws inscribed in stone by the Babylonian king Hammurabi (r. 1795-1750 BCE) who conquered and then ruled ancient Mesopotamia. Although his law code was not the first, it was the most clearly defined...
Definition
Code of Ur-Nammu
The Code of Ur-Nammu (c. 2100-2050 BCE) is the oldest extant law code in the world. It was written by the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu (r. 2047-2030 BCE) or his son Shulgi of Ur (r. 2029-1982 BCE) centuries before the famous Code of Hammurabi was...
Article
Ten Ancient Mesopotamia Facts You Need to Know
Mesopotamia is the ancient Greek name (meaning “the land between two rivers”, the Tigris and Euphrates) for the region corresponding to modern-day Iraq and parts of Iran, Syria, and Turkey. It is considered the “cradle of civilization” for...
Image
Hammurabi's Law Code
A diorite stele with an inscription of Hammurabi's code of laws. Susa, Babylonia, 18th century BCE. Cast of the original now in the Louvre, Paris. (Pushkin Museum, Moscow)
Lesson Pack
Mesopotamia: Government & Religion
This lesson pack on government and religion in ancient Mesopotamia includes the following content: Three Lesson Plans Rise of City States Temples & Divine Kingship Code of Hammurabi Additional Materials Open Questions...
Definition
Babylon
Babylon is the most famous city from ancient Mesopotamia whose ruins lie in modern-day Iraq 59 miles (94 km) southwest of Baghdad. The name is derived from bav-il or bav-ilim, which in Akkadian meant "Gate of God" (or "Gate of the Gods"...
Video
Cradles of Civilization - Date Formula of Hammurabi
In this third installment of Dr. David Neiman's second lecture on the Cradles of Civilization, Dr. Neiman continues to read from the "Date Formula" or "Year List" of King Hammurabi. This listing was created before the great Law Code of Hammurabi...
Video
The Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi
The Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi, 1792-1750 B.C.E., basalt, 225 x 65 cm (Louvre, Paris). Speakers: Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
Definition
Mari
Mari was a city-state located near the west bank of the Euphrates River in Northern Mesopotamia (now eastern Syria) during the Early Bronze Age and the Middle Bronze Age. One of the earliest known planned cities, Mari is believed to have...