The Code of Hammurabi by Leonard William King

Description

‘The Code of Hammurabi’ is a book by Leonard William King, first published in 1915. It presents a clear English translation of the celebrated Babylonian law code traditionally attributed to King Hammurabi. Inscribed in cuneiform on a basalt stele and rediscovered in 1901, the laws offer a window into ancient Mesopotamia and the everyday concerns of an early urban society—contracts and property, prices and wages, family and inheritance, crime and punishment. King’s rendering helped bring Akkadian legal texts to a wider readership at a time when Assyriology was rapidly opening the ancient Near East to modern study. Beyond its famous “eye for an eye” formulations, the code reveals a sophisticated legal culture that distinguished social classes, set standards for commerce and professional conduct, and sought to “prevent the strong from oppressing the weak.” For readers interested in legal history, cuneiform studies, or the roots of Western jurisprudence, this translation remains a concise, readable starting point. Subject terms that fit this work include ancient Mesopotamia, Babylonian law code, cuneiform, Akkadian, lex talionis, Near Eastern studies, comparative law, and legal history.

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