Essay About Traditional Activities And Clay Tablets

Hammurabi
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Hammurabi
In his position as King of Babylonia, Hammurabi managed to
organize the worlds first code of laws and establish Babylon as the
dominant and successful Amorite city of its time. “Records written on
clay tablets show that Hammurabi was a very capable administrator and a
successful warrior. His rule spanned from 1792 B.C. to 1750 B.C. When
he became king in 1792, he was still young, but had already become
entrusted with many official duties in his administration”(Grolier). In
the early years of his reign, Hammurabi mostly participated in
traditional activities, such as repairing buildings, digging canals, and
fighting wars. Yet later in his rule, Hammurabi organized a unique code
of laws, the first of its kind, therefore making himself one of the
worlds most influential leaders.
Hammurabi was primarily influential to the world because of his
code of laws. This code consisted of 282 provisions, systematically
arranged under a variety of subjects. He sorted his laws into groups
such as family, labor, personal property, real estate, trade, and
business. This was the first time in history that any laws had been
categorized into various sections. This format of organization was
emulated by civilizations of the future. For example, Semitic cultures
succeeding Hammurabis rule used some of the same laws that were included
in Hammurabis code. Hammurabis method of thought is evident in present
day societies which are influenced by his code. Modern governments
currently create specific laws, which are placed into their appropriate
family of similar laws. Hammurabi had his laws recorded upon an eight
foot high black stone monument. Hammurabi based his code on principles
like, the strong should not injure the weak, and that punishment should
fit the crime. As for punishment, “legal actions were initiated under
the code by written pleadings; testimony was taken under oath. The code
was severe in its penalties, prescribing “an eye for an eye, a tooth for
a tooth.””(Grolier). This code of laws was able to be maintained by
invoking the authority of the gods and the state. Although the
punishments were different than those of today, the authority of the