This episode details the life and extensive influence of Hammurabi, the sixth ruler of the Old Babylonian Empire. After succeeding his father, he transformed a small city-state into a dominant power by conquering Mesopotamia and implementing significant public works. He is most famous for the Code of Hammurabi, a pioneering set of 282 laws that introduced concepts like the presumption of innocence and specific physical retributions. The text also explores his posthumous legacy, noting how later civilizations viewed him as an ideal legislator and a divine figure. Additionally, the source examines the historical debate regarding the relationship between his legal mandates and Biblical law. Despite the eventual collapse of his empir ...