How to Pronounce Hammurabi

Meaning and Context

Hammurabi, the sixth king of the First Babylonian Dynasty who reigned from approximately 1792 BCE to 1750 BCE, is a monumental figure in ancient history primarily celebrated for his enduring legal legacy. His reign marked a period of significant expansion and consolidation for the Babylonian Empire, transforming the city-state of Babylon into a dominant Mesopotamian power through both military conquest and shrewd administration. Hammurabi's most famous achievement is the Code of Hammurabi, a comprehensive and sophisticated collection of 282 laws inscribed on a towering basalt stele. This ancient legal code is one of the earliest and most complete written legal systems discovered, providing an unparalleled window into the social structure, economy, and Mesopotamian law of the time. Its principles of standardized justice, famously encapsulated in the precept of "an eye for an eye," established a precedent for codified law that influenced subsequent civilizations throughout the Ancient Near East. The code's detailed statutes on commerce, property, family relations, and criminal justice remain a cornerstone for historians studying early civilization and the evolution of legal thought.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The name "Hammurabi" is the most widely accepted and used spelling in English, derived from the Akkadian language. However, alternative transliterations from the cuneiform script exist, including "Hammurapi" and, less commonly, "Khammurabi." A frequent error is the misspelling "Hammurabi's Code" as part of the proper name itself (e.g., "the Hammurabis Code"), where the possessive is incorrectly integrated. The correct form is "the Code of Hammurabi" or, more casually, "Hammurabi's Code" with the apostrophe-s indicating possession. Common typos include single-letter substitutions like "Hammurabi" (replacing 'm' with 'n') or "Hammurabi" (omitting the double 'm'). Another point of confusion can be the term "Babylonian Code," which, while descriptive, is less precise than the specific title referencing the king himself.

Example Sentences

Archaeologists consider the discovery of the diorite stele containing the Code of Hammurabi a watershed moment for understanding ancient jurisprudence.

While King Hammurabi expanded his territory through military campaigns, his long-term legacy was secured by this innovative codification of laws.

Scholars analyzing the code note that penalties often varied depending on the social status of the offender and the victim, revealing the stratified nature of Babylonian society.

A typical provision from Hammurabi's laws might state, "If a builder constructs a house poorly and it collapses, causing the death of the owner, that builder shall be put to death.

" Modern legal historians frequently draw comparisons between the principles found in Hammurabi's Code and those in earlier legal collections, such as the Code of Ur-Nammu.

The prologue of the code explicitly states that Hammurabi established these rules "to cause justice to prevail in the land and to destroy the wicked and the evil.

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