Hammurabi
Best known as: Babylonian ruler who created the first code of laws
Occupation: Royalty
Nationality: Babylonian
Born: c. 1810 BC
Died: 1750 BC
Reign: 1792 - 1750 BC
Short biography:
Hammurabi became king of the city-state of Babylon, in Mesopotamia, upon the death of his father. Babylon had already conquered several nearby city-states. During the first part of his reign he strengthened the city's walls and built temples. In 1701 the kingdom of Elam invaded Mesopotamia, but Hammurabi made an alliance with the neighboring kingdom of Larsa to the south and defeated Elam. He then turned on Larsa and conquered it in about 1763 BC. He also conquered the northern kingdoms of Eshnunna and Mari, becoming ruler of nearly all of Mesopotamia. His most famous achievement was the Code of Hammurabi, a collection of laws for Babylon which were engraved on a large stone monument and displayed in public for all to see. The code specifies a punishment for every offense and is based upon the concepts of retaliation and the presumption of innocence. The monument was discovered in 1901 and is now in the Louvre.
Father: Sin-Muballit
Son: Sumsuiluna
