Babylon was one of the many largely Amorite-ruled city-states that dotted the central and southern Mesopotamian plains and waged war on each other for control of fertile agricultural land. Hammurabi was an Amorite First Dynasty king of the city-state of Babylon, and inherited the power from his father, Sin-Muballit, in c. Hammurabi ascended to the throne as the king of a minor kingdom in the midst of a complex geopolitical situation. Life Background and ascension Map showing the Babylonian territory upon Hammurabi's ascension in c. Hammurabi was rediscovered by archaeologists in the late nineteenth century and has since been seen as an important figure in the history of law. Even after the empire he built collapsed, he was still revered as a model ruler, and many kings across the Near East claimed him as an ancestor. For later Mesopotamians, Hammurabi's reign became the frame of reference for all events occurring in the distant past. Later, his military accomplishments became de-emphasized and his role as the ideal lawgiver became the primary aspect of his legacy. After his death, Hammurabi was revered as a great conqueror who spread civilization and forced all peoples to pay obeisance to Marduk, the national god of the Babylonians. Hammurabi was seen by many as a god within his own lifetime.

The Code of Hammurabi and the Law of Moses in the Torah contain numerous similarities. They were intended to limit what a wronged person was permitted to do in retribution. It prescribed specific penalties for each crime and is among the first codes to establish the presumption of innocence. Unlike earlier Sumerian law codes, such as the Code of Ur-Nammu, which had focused on compensating the victim of the crime, the Law of Hammurabi was one of the first law codes to place greater emphasis on the physical punishment of the perpetrator. Hammurabi is best known for having issued the Code of Hammurabi, which he claimed to have received from Shamash, the Babylonian god of justice. He ousted Ishme-Dagan I, the king of Assyria, and forced his son Mut-Ashkur to pay tribute, bringing almost all of Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule. During his reign, he conquered the city-states of Larsa, Eshnunna, and Mari.

He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health.

1750 BC) was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from c.

Dragon city breed legacy