Old Babylonian Period (jan 1, 1792 BC – jan 1, 1595 BC)

Description:

"Hammurabi of Babylon (r. 1792–1750 B.C.E.)"

"late in his reign he conquered several other kingdoms, uniting most of Mesopotamia under his rule. The era from his reign to around 1595 B.C.E. is called the Old Babylonian period."

Hammurabi's law code:
"Its 282 laws set a variety of punishments, primarily fines, but also physical punishment such as mutilation, whipping, and burning. It is unknown whether its provisions were always or even generally followed, but it influenced other law codes of the area, including those later written down in Hebrew Scripture...
Hammurabi’s code began with legal procedure. There were no public prosecutors or district attorneys, so individuals brought their own complaints before the court. Each side had to produce witnesses to support its case. In cases of murder, the accuser had to prove the defendant guilty; any accuser who failed to do so was put to death. Another procedural regulation declared that once a judge had rendered a verdict, he could not change it."

"Because of farming’s fundamental importance, the code dealt extensively with agriculture."

"Babylon was a society in which business was important, so many of the laws are about contracts and what happens if someone breaks them."

"About one-third of the laws relate to marriage and the family."

"Law codes, preoccupied as they are with the problems of society, provide a bleak view of things, but other Mesopotamian documents give a happier glimpse of life. Wills and financial documents reveal couples who respected one another and women who were engaged in business. The Mesopotamians enjoyed a vibrant and creative culture that left its mark on the entire Fertile Crescent, as other groups adopted Mesopotamian practices."

Likely influenced later Hebrew laws and commandments, though the Hebrews were more interested in righteousness than retribution

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