# Written law

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 22, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224 "2003-01-22T15:58:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224/1 "2003-01-22T15:58:30Z")

</div>

What was the first written law? Did it have to do with religion, morals, justice or business? Maybe none of the former categories?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224/2 "2003-01-22T16:09:05Z")

</div>

From this site, [http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/LEXTAL.HTM](http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/LEXTAL.HTM)

> [@](#):
>
> The earliest written code of laws was the Code of Hammurabi, the most famous of the Old Babylonian, or Amorite, kings of Mesopotamia. Hammurabi’s code of laws is almost entirely based on the principle of equal and direct retribution; it betrays the origin of law in retributive violence.

A translated version of the code is here: [http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTM](http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTM)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224/3 "2003-01-22T16:09:42Z")

</div>

Perhaps the Code of Hammaburi, circa 1750 B.C.:

[http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/hammurabi.htm](http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/hammurabi.htm)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224/4 "2003-01-22T16:10:19Z")

</div>

See for yourself: ye olde [Code of Hammurabi](http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTM)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224/5 "2003-01-22T16:11:31Z")

</div>

Boy, jumped right on that one, didn’t we? 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/written-law/150224/6 "2003-01-22T16:17:06Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pravnik \*  
> \*\*Boy, jumped right on that one, didn’t we? 😃 \*\*

Heh. Glad I didn’t bother to preview…