What were the first written laws developed in Babylon, known for their 'eye for an eye' punishments?

• A. Mosaic Code
• B. Napoleonic Code
• C. Babylonian Legal System
• D. Code of Hammurabi

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is the emergence of one of the earliest written law codes and the use of proportionate punishment. In Babylon, under King Hammurabi, around the mid-18th century BCE, a comprehensive set of laws was inscribed on a stele to be publicly displayed. This Code established rules across various aspects of daily life and commerce, with a founding principle often summarized as “an eye for an eye,” meaning penalties were designed to match the offense in severity. The purpose was to standardize justice across Hammurabi’s empire and to demonstrate royal authority over law.

This is distinct from later legal traditions like the Mosaic Code from Hebrew tradition or the Napoleonic Code from France, which come from different times and places. The Code of Hammurabi stands out as one of the earliest and best-preserved examples of a written legal system, offering a window into how ancient Babylonians thought about crime, punishment, and social order.