What does Hammurabi's Code consist of?

Hammurabi's Code refers to one of the most significant legal documents from ancient Mesopotamia, specifically inscribed on a stone pillar. This code consists of a comprehensive collection of laws that were created under the reign of Hammurabi, the sixth king of Babylon, around 1754 BCE. The inscribed laws cover various aspects of daily life, including trade, family relations, property rights, and justice. The presence of these laws highlights the value placed on order and the establishment of justice in society at that time.

The significance of Hammurabi's Code lies not just in its content, but also in its role as one of the earliest known instances of the record of laws that sought to govern society systematically and fairly. The code reflects a principle of "an eye for an eye," indicating that legal consequences were expected to mirror the nature of the offense. The physical artifact that contains these inscriptions is key to understanding the governance and societal expectations of ancient Babylon, and it serves as a primary source for historians studying early legal systems and civilization.