Ancient Babylonia - Stele of Hammurapi
The laws of Hammurapi were derived from the already existing laws in Babylon
with very few being new. It was only in the time of Hammurapi that they were
written down. The laws of Hammurapi were written on a stele (see above) of black
diorite rock. This stele was seven foot and six inches high. On the top of the
stele it shows the god Shamash giving the laws to Hammurapi. This was done so
that the people would respect the laws and believe that they were correct. In a
very similar way Yahweh, the true God, had given the Law to Moses.
At the first glance the punishments on Hammurapi’s code seem horrific. However, it is widely believed that the mutilations and
other physical punishments were the last resort if the offender could not pay
the fine. One of the two main purposes of Hammurapi’s code was to create a standard set of laws throughout his empire. The stele
was set in the city so everyone could see it. This meant that anybody who could
read would understand the laws.
The stele was taken as loot by the Elamites to Elam: a mountainous area to the
southeast of Mesopotamia. It was in the Elamite capital, Susa, which is where
the stele was found.
Ancient Babylonia
Return to Bible History Online