What is the Code of Ur-Nammu?

The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest law code (set of laws) in the world instituted by the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu and dated to c. 2100-2050 BCE or 2050-2047 BCE.

How many laws are in the Code of Ur-Nammu?

There are 57 laws in the Code of Ur-Nammu; 30 of them have been fully reconstructed.

Why was the Code of Ur-Nammu written?

The Code of Ur-Nammu was written to make clear to the people what the laws were and what their king expected from them in terms of behavior. It standardized the law across the region of Sumer.

When was the Code of Ur-Nammu discovered and translated?

The Code of Ur-Nammu was discovered in Iraq in 1948 and translated by the scholar Samuel Noah Kramer in 1952.

Code of Ur-Nammu Timeline

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Definition

The Code of Ur-Nammu (c. 2100-2050 BCE) is the oldest extant law code in the world. It was written by the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu (r. 2047-2030 BCE) or his son Shulgi of Ur (r. 2029-1982 BCE) centuries before the famous Code of Hammurabi was inscribed by the Babylonian king Hammurabi (r. 1795-1750 BCE).

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