The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed during the reign of King Hammurabi, around 1754 BCE.

It is one of the oldest deciphered legal texts of significant length in the world, inscribed on a massive stone stele.

The code consists of 282 laws covering matters of contract, family, property, and criminal justice.

It famously operates on the principle of 'lex talionis,' or 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.'

The punishments prescribed in the code varied significantly based on the social status of the perpetrator and the victim.

It established the legal principle of 'innocent until proven guilty,' placing the burden of proof on the accuser.

The laws were publicly displayed so that any literate person could understand their rights and obligations.

The prologue of the code states that the gods commanded Hammurabi to 'make justice prevail in the land.'

It provides detailed insights into the social structure, economy, and daily life of ancient Babylon.

The Code of Hammurabi had a profound influence on the legal systems of subsequent civilizations.