The Babylonian Empire: The Code Of Hammurabi

Between 5000 and 2500 B.C., small kingdoms were set in the Middle Eastern parts from the Tigris-Euphrates River valley and then to the Nile valley. Those small kingdoms, named the “cradle of civilization”, were ruled by a king. The king was considered the head of power, making the laws and serving justice for any wrongdoings. The king was the absolute ruler and provider. This system of authority was one of the earliest contributions to an idea of law enforcement.

In the eighteenth century B.C., the Babylonian Empire was established by King Hammurabi. Hammurabi is known for his creation of the Code of Hammurabi, the oldest ancient code of law that consisted of 282 laws. The Code of Hammurabi brought not only regulations but also brought forth a type of justice system. The laws contained punishments and fines that were paid to the victims rather than the state. Lex Talionis, the law of retaliation, was one of the code’s main concepts and the death penalty was enforced for any crime against the kingdoms. The laws of the code, if broken, impacted one’s family, social life, and even any business such as property transactions.

Only few written reports of a time period so long ago exist but there is proof that there were officials named the “Judges Commandment of the Police, during the fourth dynasty. Hur Moheb made somewhat of a police force that served to protect trading and secure traveling alone the Nile valley. One of the most important forces were the ones that guarded the tombs of the dead. The force was responsible for protecting the valuables buried with the dead. Egyptians also claimed that they were the first to use police dogs back when they were used to guard places. Feudalism was practiced by the Egyptians. This practice included the safety and security of the people of the