Ruler · 1810 BC – 1750 BC
Hammurabi
Little-Known Facts
- The code's stele depicts Hammurabi receiving the laws from the sun god Shamash, asserting divine sanction.
- It addresses everything from trade and wages to marriage, surgery and construction.
Myths & Misconceptions
Was Hammurabi's the first law code ever?
No. Earlier Sumerian codes existed (such as Ur-Nammu's), but Hammurabi's is the most complete and famous to survive from the ancient world.