Code Of Laws
Hammurabi was most well-known for his devised set of laws, called Hammurabi’s Code. The code was displayed openly, for all to see, so that no one could claim ignorance as an excuse. However, most scholars say that few people in that era could read. That may or may not be true; other researchers doubt that a man smart enough to devise two hundred and eighty-two laws, written in Akkadian, the daily language of those citizens in the city, could be at the same time, stupid enough to put them in front of an entire city full of people who could not read. Also, it’s not completely unfeasible that there would be translators available to speak to the city’s citizens so that they would know the laws, if they were as illiterate as so many researchers have claimed over the years.
The most defining factor of Hammurabi’s Code was that there were no allowances made for excuses or explanation, though it implies that there was a right to display evidence. By today’s standards, the punishments and judgement’s for the breaking of certain laws, or conclusions to disputes would be considered very harsh. Many of the punishments were death, loss of limbs, and the use of the Lex Talionis philosophy “Law of Retaliation”, or better understood as eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Despite the harshness of the laws, and their punishments, the fact that the laws were actually in writing was a major step for a king. This suggested that because they were in writing, that eventually, should the need arise, the laws were not subject to the power of the king and therefore immutable.
Also, Hammurabi’s code of laws is one of the world’s oldest and first example of the “presumption of innocence” or the modern philosophy, “innocent until proven guilty.” The accused, and the accuser as previously stated, had the option to present the court with evidence of either’s transgression at their trial. However, once a judgement was issued, there was no way for the punishment to be altered, and no recognition of any extenuating circumstances.