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The reign of Hammurabi signaled the end of the early Mesopotamian civilization.  He created a system of justice by promulgating an elaborate code of law (called the Code of Hammurabi, or "Hammurabi's Code").  The code imposed harsh punishment of "an eye for an eye," and lower classes of people received harsher punishment than higher classes of people.  If you broke the bone of a  

The reign of Hammurabi signaled the end of the early Mesopotamian civilization.  He created a system of justice by promulgating an elaborate code of law (called the Code of Hammurabi, or "Hammurabi's Code").  The code imposed harsh punishment of "an eye for an eye," and lower classes of people received harsher punishment than higher classes of people.  If you broke the bone of a  

"free man" (non-slave), then the punishment was to break one of your bones.  That was simple and effective, and the Old Testament uses a similar approach in some ways (ask yourself: who used this first?).  The Eighth Commandment in the Old Testament states, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."  Hammurabi's Code states if someone accuses another of doing something wrong, but cannot prove it, then the accuser shall be killed.

"free man" (non-slave), then the punishment was to break one of your bones.  That was simple and effective, and the Old Testament uses a similar approach in some ways (ask yourself: who used this first?).  One of the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament states, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."  Hammurabi's Code states if someone accuses another of doing something wrong, but cannot prove it, then the accuser shall be killed.

Hammurabi attempted to be righteous and much of his correspondence survives to this day.  He encouraged legal contracts, but he also limited the amount of interest and wages that could be earned.  After 29 years of establishing order, he then conquered all of Mesopotamia, making him the first king of the Babylonian Empire.  To this day Hammurabi is respected as a great leader who achieved an enormous amount of progress that benefits all of mankind.  

Hammurabi attempted to be righteous and much of his correspondence survives to this day.  He encouraged legal contracts, but he also limited the amount of interest and wages that could be earned.  After 29 years of establishing order, he then conquered all of Mesopotamia, making him the first king of the Babylonian Empire.  To this day Hammurabi is respected as a great leader who achieved an enormous amount of progress that benefits all of mankind.