code of hammurabi laws list
Sophia Aguilar
Updated on June 05, 2026
The Hammurabi code of laws, a collection of 282 rules, established standards for commercial interactions and set fines and punishments to meet the requirements of justice. Hammurabi’s Code was carved onto a massive, finger-shaped black stone stele (pillar) that was looted by invaders and finally rediscovered in 1901.
What laws are in the Code of Hammurabi?
In the prologue, Hammurabi claims to have been granted his rule by the gods “to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak”. The laws are casuistic, expressed as “if then” conditional sentences. Their scope is broad, including, for example, criminal law, family law, property law, and commercial law.
How many laws are there in Hammurabi law?
These 282 case laws include economic provisions (prices, tariffs, trade, and commerce), family law (marriage and divorce), as well as criminal law (assault, theft) and civil law (slavery, debt).
What is the most famous law from Hammurabi’s Code?
Hammurabi’s Code is one of the most famous examples of the ancient precept of “lex talionis,” or law of retribution, a form of retaliatory justice commonly associated with the saying “an eye for an eye.” Under this system, if a man broke the bone of one his equals, his own bone would be broken in return.
What does law 209 of Hammurabi’s code mean?
209. If a man has struck a free woman with child, and has caused her to miscarry, he shall pay ten shekels for her miscarriage. 210. If that woman die, his daughter shall be killed.
What does law 129 of Hammurabi’s code mean?
129: If a man’s wife be surprised [having intercourse] with another man, both shall be tied and thrown into the water, but the husband may pardon his wife and the king his slaves.
What are 2 laws from Hammurabi’s code?
1. If any one ensnare another, putting a ban upon him, but he can not prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death. 2. If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house.
What was the first law ever?
The first codified and written laws in history are largely believed to be the “Code of Hammurabi,” and it ruled over an empire with only about 282 laws. The code’s rules were elementary, and its punishments straightforward.
Is Hammurabi in the Bible?
In the early twentieth century, many scholars believed that Hammurabi was Amraphel, the King of Shinar in the Book of Genesis 14:1. This view has now been largely rejected, and Amraphael’s existence is not attested in any writings from outside the Bible.
What was Hammurabi’s code of law class 11?
Hammurabi was a famous king of Babylonia. He got prepared the world’s first Code of Laws. He also got it engraved on a very big stone shaft in the form of 282 articles. These laws were connected with trade, exchange of money, payment of taxes, theft, murder etc.
Is the Code of Hammurabi still used today?
Elements of legal thinking present in Hammurabi’s time still exist today. The Code assumes a person’s innocence, for example, pending evidence to the contrary. The Mesopotamian legal system gave both accused and accuser a chance to state their cases before a judge.
Did the Code of Hammurabi treat everyone equally?
From the code, it is evident that the Babylonians did not believe all people were equal. The code treated slaves, commoners, and nobles differently. Women had a number of rights, including the ability to buy and sell property and to obtain a divorce.
How old was Hammurabi when he became king?
He also learned how to fight and lead an army. As he grew older, he learned how to rule by watching his father and listening to his advisors. When Hammurabi turned eighteen years old, his father became very sick. Soon his father died and young Hammurabi was crowned king of the city-state of Babylon.
What was Hammurabi known for?
Hammurabi ruled Babylon from about 1792 to 1750 BCE. He is noted for his surviving set of laws, which were inscribed on a stela in Babylon’s temple of Marduk. Hammurabi’s Code was once considered the oldest promulgation of laws in human history, though older, shorter law collections have since been found.
What does law 202 mean in Hammurabi’s Code?
202. If any one strikes the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an ox-whip in public.
What does law 213 of Hammurabi’s Code mean?
Law 213: If he has struck the slave-girl of a free man and causes her to lose the fruit of her womb, he shall pay 2 shekels of silver. Law 215: If a surgeon has operated with a bronze lancet on the body of a free man and saves the man’s life, he shall receive 10 shekels of silver.
Was the Hammurabi Code just?
Were Hammurabi’s laws and codes fair and just? King Hammurabi’s codes were unjust because of the evidence found in the 282 laws. The codes that King Hammurabi wrote about were personal injury law, property law and family law. First, there is evidence that the codes were unjust.