Hammurabi was the king and founder of the Babylonian empire in ancient Mesopotamia. His code contained 282 laws that established order and settled conflicts in all areas of life, based on the principles of lex talionis ("eye for an eye") and proportional punishment according to social class. The document then presents several scenarios and asks the reader to decide the fair outcome, before revealing Hammurabi's actual declarations, which included death for builders of collapsed houses, debt slavery, compensation for damaged crops, drowning disrespectful wives, hand cutting for sons who strike fathers, and river ordeals to determine truth in accusations.

1. When Marduk sent me to rule over men, to
give the protection of right to the land, I did
right and in righteousness brought about the
well-being of the oppressed.
Below are situations Hammurabi
faced. Decide what you think to be a fair way
to deal with the problem. Then, click to see
what Hammurabi declared. Would Marduk,
the supreme god, be pleased with your
decisions?

3. Hammurabi's Code
- Hammurabi was the King and founder of the
Babylonian empire

4. Hammurabi's Code
- Hammurabi was the King and founder of the
Babylonian empire
- code contained 282 laws

5. Hammurabi's Code
- Hammurabi was the King and founder of the
Babylonian empire
- code contained 282 laws
- settled conflict in ALL
areas of life

6. Hammurabi's Code
- based on the idea of "eye for an eye"

7. Hammurabi's Code
- based on the idea of "eye for an eye"
- punishment should be equal to the crime
committed
- Based on social class

8. What should be done
to the carpenter who
builds a house that
falls and kills the
owner?

9. If a builder builds a house
for a man and does not
make its construction
sound, and the house
which he has built
collapses and causes the
death of the owner of the
house, the builder shall be
put to death.

10. What happens if a man
is unable to pay his
debts?

11. If a man be in debt and is unable to
pay his creditors, he shall sell his wife,
son, or daughter, or bind them over to
service. For three years they shall
work in the houses of their purchaser
or master; in the fourth year they shall
be given their freedom.

12. What happens if a
farmer's
irrigations system
causes his
neighbor to lose
his crop?

13. He will pay his neighbor the
amount of corn that was
lost.

14. What should be done
about a wife who
ignores her duties and
belittles her husband?

15. If the woman has not been careful but
has gadded about, neglecting her
house and belittling her husband, they
shall throw that woman into the river.

16. What should happen to
a boy who slaps his
father?

17. If a son strikes his father,
they shall cut off his
hand.

18. How is the truth
determined when one
man brings an
accusation against
another?

19. If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused
go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his
accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river
prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt,
then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death,
while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the
house that had belonged to his accuser.