Final answer:
The Roman Republic equivalent to Mesopotamia's Code of Hammurabi is the Twelve Tables. These ancient legal codes formed the basis of rights and obligations within their respective civilizations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Code of Laws and Legal Systems
Mesopotamia's contribution to the legal world is exemplified by the Code of Hammurabi, which was a comprehensive system that detailed rights, obligations, and legal processes in ancient Babylon. The nearest equivalent in the Roman Republic is the Twelve Tables, a codification of Roman law that became the foundation for later Roman legal systems. Similar to Hammurabi's Code, these laws also detailed the rights and protections of citizens, signifying an early shift towards a structured and transparent legal system.
While the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution are significant legal documents in American history, and the Ten Commandments have religious and moral authority, the Twelve Tables is the correct answer as it correlates to the context of an ancient civilization's legal codex akin to Hammurabi's Code.
The Code of Hammurabi introduced principles that have influenced legal systems for millennia, including the presumption of innocence and the use of evidence. The Stele of Hammurabi famously depicts the king receiving the laws from the sun god Shamash, emphasizing justice, order, and the role of the ruler in upholding the law.