Multiple choice

Which of these best describes the Code of Hammurabi?

  1. Sumerian legal code that favoured the upper class

  2. Reinforced social and gender hierarchies, but brought order

  3. Represented a shift from religious law to secular law

  4. Called for extremely harsh penalties against all classes

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Code of Hammurabi is famous for its principle of lex talionis (an eye for an eye) and for reinforcing social hierarchies, where penalties varied based on the status of the victim and the perpetrator. It was not secular, as it claimed divine origin, nor did it favor only the upper class in a way that ignored the structure of the law.