Codex of Ur-Nammu
Quick Summary
The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known law code, dating to the mid-21st century BC in Sumer. It was established by Ur-Nammu, the founder of the 3rd dynasty of Ur, who also unified Sumer and Akkad and built impressive ziggurats.123
The code, written in cuneiform, deals with various offenses, including witchcraft, adultery, divorce, bodily injury, and issues related to slaves and agriculture. It follows a pattern of stating an assumption and its legal consequence, framed by a prologue and epilogue. While the original code may have been on a stela, only Old Babylonian copies currently exist. This legal tradition, originating in Sumer, influenced later Mesopotamian civilizations, most notably culminating in the Code of Hammurabi.124
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