Final answer:
The Code of Hammurabi were rules engraved on stone steles for public awareness, requiring individuals to be accountable for their actions. It differentiated punishments based on social classes, with more severe consequences for lower class offenders. Hammurabi's meticulous governance is evidenced by this enduring legal document.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Code of Hammurabi were laws engraved in stone and placed in a public location. Hammurabi required that people be responsible for their actions. This code, found in Susa (modern Iran), is the most complete example of Hammurabi's laws. It was designed to ensure righteousness, protect the weak from the strong, and promote the well-being of mankind. These laws were based on the principle of lex talionis, or 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth', and encapsulated a variety of rulings that dealt with nearly every aspect of daily life during that era.
Hammurabi's Code also reflected the social hierarchy of the time, segregating punishments based on the social class of the individuals involved. For instance, if a noble was harmed, the commoner offender would face severe penalties which could include reciprocal physical harm, while harm caused by a noble upon a commoner often resulted in a fine.
As an enlightened ruler, Hammurabi was a meticulous manager of his Babylonian Empire. By drafting the Code and having it inscribed on stone pillars across his domain, he not only educated his subjects on the laws of the land but he also etched his name permanently into the annals of history, leaving behind evidence of his dedication to justice and order.