Changes

[[File:724px-P1050771_Louvre_code_Hammurabi_bas_relief_rwk.jpeg|thumbnail|250px|Figure 2. Figures at the top of stele that includes the Hammurabi Code.]]

Already by the early second millennium BC, between 2000-1800 BC, we begin to see law codes in cities such as Isin and Eshnunna in Mesopotamia. Many laws were focused on property issues, regulating trade, prices, equipment, while accidents and fines were also discussed. In many cases of sexual offences, theft, and bodily injury, it seems fines were more commonly used rather than simply harsher punishments.<ref>For more information on Mesopotamia laws, see: Roth, Martha Tobi, Harry A. Hoffner, and Piotr Michalowski. 1997. ''Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor. 2. ed. Writings from the Ancient World, vol. 6''. Atlanta, Ga: Scholars Press.</ref>

One of the most famous law codes, and for a long time seen as the oldest law code, was the law code attributed to Hammurabi (Figure 2), who ruled in Babylon in Mesopotamia. While the law code of Hammurabi is famous for having very harsh punishment in many decrees, including the death penalty, the law code was also enshrined as a form of constitution for citizens. It gave them rights and required evidence be produced when accusations were made and there is an assumption of innocence until sufficient evidence proved otherwise. Taking oaths before gods, the concept of using divine figures, which we have retained in our own laws, and justifying laws as a way to help the oppressed were justification for the code. However, the utilization of the water ordeal also shows superstition was sometimes used as a form of proof. The Hammurabi law is also well known for concepts of equal punishment for a given offence. Thus, the phrase “eye for an eye” first appears in Hammurabi’s laws. The laws seem to have been distributed to various parts of Hammurabi’s empire, suggesting it was intended as a type of national law, as multiple copies have been found. The code was organized into sections dealing with related matters, including topics dealing with slander, trade, criminal offences, slavery, workers’ duties, theft, food, family matters, liability, and divorce.<ref>For more information on the law code of Hammurabi, see: Horne, Charles F, C. H. W Johns, and L. W King. 2007. ''The Code of Hammurabi''. Lexingston, KY: Forgotten Books.</ref> The laws, in many respects, incorporate some of the older Sumerian laws while also adopting Amorite custom, which was the cultural group associated with Hammurabi.<ref>For more information about the inspirations for Hammurabi’s laws, see: Tetlow, Elisabeth Meier. 2004. ''Women, Crime, and Punishment in Ancient Law and Society''. New York: Continuum, pg. 53.</ref>