Hammurabi
King of Babylon and author of the famous law code
- Reigned
- c. 1792–1750 BCE
- Dynasty
- 1st (Amorite) dynasty of Babylon, 6th king
- Known for
- Code of Hammurabi
- Code stele
- Diorite stele, now in the Louvre
The Babylonian king whose laws, carved on a diorite stele, are among the best-known legal texts of the ancient world.
What is Hammurabi known for?
Hammurabi was the sixth king of the First (Amorite) Dynasty of Babylon and reigned about 1792 to 1750 BCE. Through war and diplomacy he turned Babylon from a modest city into the center of a kingdom covering most of Mesopotamia.
He is best remembered for the Code of Hammurabi, a collection of about 280 laws carved on a tall diorite stele. Its top shows the king standing before Shamash, the sun god and god of justice, presenting the laws as divinely sanctioned. The stele was found at Susa in 1901 and is now in the Louvre. Britannica notes it was once considered the oldest law code, though older Sumerian codes are now known.
His reign also matters for religion: as Babylon rose, so did its city god Marduk, who later became king of the gods in the Enuma Elish.
Under Hammurabi Babylon grew into an imperial capital, and its god Marduk grew with it.
Mentioned on these pages
- Rabbit holeMarduk
- PersonAmmi-saduqa
- PlaceBabylon
- PlaceIsin
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Hammurabi'Reference
- Wikipedia, 'Hammurabi'Reference
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