The Babylonian king Hammurabi was in power for 43 years. During his entire reign, he proved to be a strong politician who strengthened the power of Babylon and strengthened the state system by adopting high-quality, but tough legislation.
He began his legislative activity from the beginning of his reign. And the systematized laws of Hammurabi date back to 1780 BC.
For a long time, the real sources were unknown to everyone, having lain for about eleven centuries, they were found by an expedition in 1901-1902 in Susa. They are decorated on stone basalt pillars with carved words.
At one time, Hammurabi created norms that governed all types of social relations that existed at that time. The body of laws contains civil law, criminal and administrative law.
The adoption of a code of laws reflects the progress of the law that existed at that time. Such moments as guilt are taken into account, that is, crimes with direct intent were punished more heavily than crimes with indirect intent.
This historical document contains 282 articles. A small part of the articles are lost, but thanks to the works of historians, the lost texts in those lost parts are gradually being restored on the basis of other documents.
Promotional video:
The structure of the text consists of three main parts. The first introductory part, the preamble, which describes the general provisions. It says that power was given to him from above, to protect people and establish justice. Even the drawing on the pillar depicts how the king receives from the hands of the supreme creation a scroll of law, according to which all the people of Babylon should live.
The second part consists of norms aimed at regulating individual legal relations. At the beginning, attention is paid to the administration of justice. The rules for judges are laid out on how to act correctly in the consideration of a case, and what cannot be done.
Then there are articles on property, which establish responsibility for violation of property rights. It is said that if a person stole the property of a god or a palace, he is punishable by murder. The provisions on slaves were fixed, about situations in which slaves could be caught, instructions were given on how to deal with them, because they were considered as ordinary property.
Further, relations with real estate are regulated. From the text of the laws, you can see that at that time there was a relationship of purchase and sale, rent. The price of the sale and purchase of land is indicated.
Attention is paid to family relationships. Only those who signed a written contract were recognized as a family. For betrayal by a wife to her husband, it was envisaged to throw her into the river, and for many other violations such punishment was provided.
In crimes against the person, especially for bodily harm, Talion's law applies, an eye for an eye. Equal to this principle, only for equals in position. In situations where the one who is lower in his social position before the highest position is to blame, the laws are more cruel.
At the end of the set of laws are rules that govern payment for services provided. The price is determined for each legal relationship, for each service provided by this or that person and the form of its payment.
After all the legislative articles, there is a conclusion that it repeats that the laws are given by God and the king and his power are praised.
The legislation adopted by Hammurabi made it possible to build a solid foundation. The foundation was laid for social and economic relations, it became possible to create our own permanent army to protect against an external enemy, in general, conditions were created for the favorable development of society and the state.