Final answer:
The earliest surviving legal codes from around 2000 BCE, including Hammurabi's Code, highlight the historical precedence of written laws and provide insights into ancient legal systems and their societal values, particularly in terms of justice and social structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Earliest Surviving Legal Codes
The earliest surviving legal codes developed around 2000 BCE are vital historical documents, providing insight into ancient civilizations' legal and social structures. The most prominent of these codes is Hammurabi's Code, established by the Babylonian king Hammurabi around 1780 BCE. This code delineated the rights and obligations of different classes within Babylonian society, including free men, commoners, and slaves. Hammurabi's Code was comprehensive, seeking to ensure fairness and legal protections for all members of society, including women, who received more rights than many subsequent legal codes provided. Remarkable is the clarity of the Code's language and concepts like the presumption of innocence and the importance of evidence in legal proceedings.
The Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi, which dates from 1792-1750 BCE, stands as a testament to his rule and the significance of written law in the governance of society. The code's principles, such as retributive justice encapsulated by the phrase "an eye for an eye," have echoed through history, influencing legal systems that followed, including Roman and biblical laws like The Twelve Tables and The Ten Commandments, respectively.