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Code of Hammurabi Timeline

(c. 1754 BCE)

The Code of Hammurabi is one of the oldest and best-preserved written legal codes in human history. Issued by King Hammurabi of Babylon around 1754 BCE, it consists of 282 laws carved on a diorite stele covering topics such as trade, property, family, labor, and criminal justice. Famous for the principle of retributive justice—'an eye for an eye'—the code offers invaluable insight into Mesopotamian society and the early development of rule of law. Less

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Epilogue Content

Epilogue reuses phrase 'to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak'

1792 BC - 1750 BC

The epilogue contains much legal imagery, and the phrase 'to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak' (dannum enšam ana lā ḫabālim, lines 3202'–3203') is reused from the prologue, unifying the composition.

Image source: Code of Hammurabi

Epilogue reuses phrase 'to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak'

Epilogue: wrath of gods invoked on defacers

1792 BC - 1750 BC

Hammurabi invokes the wrath of the gods on any man who disobeys or erases his pronouncements (lines 3360'–3641', the end of the text). Curses include depriving him of rain from heaven and flood from the springs, and decreeing him 'a life that is no better than death.'

Epilogue: blessing for rulers who respect the stele

1792 BC - 1750 BC

Hammurabi wishes for good fortune for any future ruler who heeds his pronouncements and respects his stele (lines 3296'–3359').

Epilogue: praise and divine favour promised

1792 BC - 1750 BC

Having the laws read aloud would bring Hammurabi praise (lines 3257'–3275') and divine favour upon the listener (lines 3276'–3295'), according to the epilogue.

Epilogue: wronged man may hear the laws read aloud

1792 BC - 1750 BC

Hammurabi expresses a hope that 'any wronged man who has a lawsuit' may have the laws of the stele read aloud to him and know his rights (lines 3240'–3256'). This concrete measure addressed the inaccessibility of scribal education in the Old Babylonian period.

Epilogue: exaltation of laws and magnanimity

1792 BC - 1750 BC

In lines 3152'–3239' of the epilogue, Hammurabi exalts his laws and his magnanimity, presenting himself as a shepherd of justice for his people.

Epilogue: just decisions of Hammurabi

1792 BC - 1750 BC

The epilogue begins (lines 3144'–3151') with the declaration: 'These are the just decisions which Hammurabi...' framing the laws as divinely sanctioned judgments of the king.

Hammurabi's Reign

Hammurabi becomes king of Babylon

1792 BC

Hammurabi (or Hammurapi), the sixth king of the Amorite First Dynasty of Babylon, began his rule around 1792 BC according to the middle chronology. He would go on to expand Babylonian power and commission the famous law code that bears his name.

Image source: Hammurabi

Hammurabi becomes king of Babylon

Reign of Hammurabi

1792 BC - 1750 BC

Hammurabi ruled from around 1792 to around 1750 BC (middle chronology). During his reign, the Code of Hammurabi was created, one of the best-preserved and most complete legal collections from ancient Mesopotamia.

Creation of the Code of Hammurabi stele

1754 BC

The Code of Hammurabi was inscribed on a diorite stele during Hammurabi's reign, containing laws written in Akkadian cuneiform. The prologue and epilogue frame the laws with legal imagery, including the phrase 'to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak.'

Stele taken as plunder to Susa

1150 BC

The stele was taken as plunder to Susa in present-day Iran about 600 years after its creation, where it remained buried for millennia until its rediscovery in the early 20th century.

Scholarship and Legacy

Lex Rhodia general average principle established

1000 BC - 800 BC

The Lex Rhodia ('Rhodian law') articulated the general average principle of marine insurance established on the island of Rhodes in approximately 1000 to 800 BC as a member of the Doric Hexapolis, plausibly by the Phoenicians during the proposed Dorian invasion.

Image source: General average

Lex Rhodia general average principle established

Code appears in late Babylonian list of scholarly texts

600 BC

The Code appears in a late Babylonian (7th–6th century BC) list of literary and scholarly texts, showing it continued to be copied and studied long after Hammurabi's death.

Paulus legal opinion on Lex Rhodia included in Digesta

235

A legal opinion written by the Roman jurist Paulus at the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century in 235 AD about the Lex Rhodia was included in the Digesta seu Pandectae (533), the codification of laws ordered by Justinian I.

Justinian codification includes Paulus opinion

533

In the Digesta seu Pandectae (533), the second volume of the codification of laws ordered by Justinian I of the Eastern Roman Empire, Paulus's legal opinion on the Lex Rhodia was preserved, connecting ancient maritime law traditions with Roman jurisprudence.

Early commentators date Hammurabi to the 23rd century BC

1902

When the Code was first rediscovered and studied, early commentators mistakenly dated Hammurabi and the stele to the 23rd century BC, a chronology later revised by scholars.

Delitzsch lecture on Mesopotamian influence on Israel

1902

Friedrich Delitzsch argued the case for strong influence of Mesopotamian culture on ancient Israel in a 1902 lecture, in one episode of the 'Babel und Bibel' ('Babel and Bible', or 'Panbabylonism') debate.

Image source: Panbabylonism

Delitzsch lecture on Mesopotamian influence on Israel

Code thought earliest Mesopotamian law collection

1902

The Code was thought to be the earliest Mesopotamian law collection when it was rediscovered in 1902—for example, Claude Johns' 1903 book was titled The Oldest Code of Laws in the World.

Code of Lipit-Ishtar rediscovered

1947

The Code of Lipit-Ishtar was rediscovered in 1947, displacing the Code of Hammurabi from its status as the earliest known Mesopotamian law collection.

Image source: Code of Lipit-Ishtar

Code of Lipit-Ishtar rediscovered

Laws of Eshnunna rediscovered

1948

The Laws of Eshnunna were rediscovered in 1948, another earlier law collection that predated the Code of Hammurabi.

Landsberger originates criticism of Code's purpose

1950

The purpose and legal authority of the Code have been disputed since the mid-20th century. This line of criticism originated with Benno Landsberger in 1950.

Code of Ur-Nammu rediscovered

1952

The Code of Ur-Nammu was rediscovered in 1952, completing the trio of earlier Mesopotamian law collections that superseded the Code of Hammurabi as the oldest known.

Image source: Code of Ur-Nammu

Code of Ur-Nammu rediscovered

Rediscovery and Publication

Stele rediscovered at Susa

1901

The stele was rediscovered in 1901 at the site of Susa in present-day Iran, where it had been taken as plunder 600 years after its creation. Its fragments were found on the tell of the Susa acropolis (l'Acropole de Suse).

Fragments found on the Susa acropolis between December and January

Dec 1901 - Jan 1902

According to Scheil, the stele's fragments were found on the tell of the Susa acropolis (l'Acropole de Suse), between December 1901 and January 1902.

German edition by Hugo Winckler

1902

Editions of the Code in other languages soon followed the original French publication: in German by Hugo Winckler in 1902.

Editio princeps published by Jean-Vincent Scheil

1902

The editio princeps of the Code was published by Father Jean-Vincent Scheil in 1902, in the fourth volume of the Reports of the Delegation to Persia (Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse).

Italian edition by Pietro Bonfante

1903

An Italian edition of the Code of Hammurabi was published by Pietro Bonfante in 1903, following translations into German and English.

English edition by Claude Johns

1903

An English edition of the Code of Hammurabi was published by Claude Johns in 1903; his book was titled The Oldest Code of Laws in the World.

Key Facts

  1. The Code of Hammurabi was issued by King Hammurabi of Babylon around 1754 BCE during his reign from approximately 1792 to 1750 BCE.
  2. It contains 282 laws inscribed on a seven-and-a-half-foot diorite stele, which is now housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
  3. The code is famous for its principle of retributive justice, often summarized as 'an eye for an eye,' though punishments varied based on social class.
  4. The laws covered a wide range of subjects, including trade contracts, property rights, family law, wages, medical practice, and debt.
  5. The Code of Hammurabi influenced later legal traditions and is considered a foundational milestone in the history of written law and justice.

Source

This Code of Hammurabi timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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