Hammurabi was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health.
23 Facts About Hammurabi
2.
Hammurabi 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.
3.
Hammurabi is best known for having issued the Code of Hammurabi, which he claimed to have received from Shamash, the Babylonian god of justice.
4.
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.
5.
Hammurabi was seen by many as a god within his own lifetime.
6.
For later Mesopotamians, Hammurabi's reign became the frame of reference for all events occurring in the distant past.
7.
Hammurabi was rediscovered by archaeologists in the late nineteenth century and has since been seen as an important figure in the history of law.
8.
Hammurabi ascended to the throne as the king of a minor kingdom in the midst of a complex geopolitical situation.
9.
The kings who came before Hammurabi had founded a relatively minor city-state in 1894 BC, which controlled little territory outside of the city itself.
10.
The first few years of Hammurabi's reign were quite peaceful.
11.
Hammurabi used his power to undertake a series of public works, including heightening the city walls for defensive purposes, and expanding the temples.
12.
Hammurabi entered into a protracted war with Ishme-Dagan I of Assyria for control of Mesopotamia, with both kings making alliances with minor states in order to gain the upper hand.
13.
In just a few years, Hammurabi succeeded in uniting all of Mesopotamia under his rule.
14.
However, one stele of Hammurabi has been found as far north as Diyarbekir, where he claims the title "King of the Amorites".
15.
The Code of Hammurabi was a collection of 282 laws dealing with a wide range of issues.
16.
The Code of Hammurabi was inscribed on a stele and placed in a public place so that all could see it, although it is thought that few were literate.
17.
The code of Hammurabi contains 282 laws, written by scribes on 12 tablets.
18.
Hammurabi is one of the 23 lawgivers depicted in marble bas-reliefs in the chamber of the US House of Representatives in the United States Capitol.
19.
Hammurabi was honored above all other kings of the second millennium BC and he received the unique honor of being declared to be a god within his own lifetime.
20.
The personal name "Hammurabi-ili" meaning "Hammurabi is my god" became common during and after his reign.
21.
In writings from shortly after his death, Hammurabi is commemorated mainly for three achievements: bringing victory in war, bringing peace, and bringing justice.
22.
Hammurabi's conquests came to be regarded as part of a sacred mission to spread civilization to all nations.
23.
Hammurabi's reign became the point of reference for all events in the distant past.