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==Babylon==

==Babylon==

Babylonia was a relatively late achiever in the Mesopotamian world, occupying southern Mesopotamia where Sumer was.  Babylonia was built around  2300 B.C.  Babylon was its main city, located about 55 miles south of where Baghdad is today in Iraq.  Babylonia is now in ruins, but thousands of years ago was a thriving city known for its "Hanging Gardens of Babylon," which were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  Babylon was known as a city devoted to materialism and self-indulgence.  As an example of usage, the English author G.K. Chesterton once wrote, "the Babylonian halls of the big hotel."

Babylonia was a relatively late achiever in the Mesopotamian world, occupying southern Mesopotamia where Sumer was.  Babylonia was built around  2300 B.C.  Babylon was its main city, located about 55 miles south of where Baghdad is today in Iraq.  Babylon is now in ruins, but thousands of years ago was a thriving city known for the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon," which were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  Babylon was known as a city devoted to materialism and self-indulgence.  As an example of usage, the English author G.K. Chesterton once wrote, "the Babylonian halls of the big hotel," using the word "Babylonian" to denote luxurious extravagance.

As a city Babylon was smaller and less important than Ur, which enjoyed several dynasties.  But the constant fighting led to the fall of the 3rd dynasty of Ur, and an Amorite king named Sumuabum established a kingdom in 1894 B.C. there.  His successors built it up, and then a brilliant ruler name Hammurabi took power as the sixth king of Babylon from 1792 to 1750 B.C.  (That is over forty years: there were no term limits for rulers then!).

As a city Babylon was smaller and less important than Ur, which enjoyed several dynasties.  But the constant fighting led to the fall of the 3rd dynasty of Ur, and an Amorite king named Sumuabum established a kingdom in 1894 B.C. there.  His successors built it up, and then a brilliant ruler name Hammurabi took power as the sixth king of Babylon from 1792 to 1750 B.C.  (That is over forty years: there were no term limits for rulers then!).

"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?).  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.

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 by historians as a great leader who achieved an enormous amount for 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 by historians as a great leader who achieved an enormous amount of progress which benefits all of mankind.  

'''Debate:  Which matters more in making a society successful: its laws or its language?'''

'''Debate:  Which matters more in making a society successful: its laws or its language?'''