Which ancient legal code is known for its 282 laws and is one of the earliest written laws?

Which ancient legal code is known for its 282 laws and is one of the earliest written laws?

• A. Twelve Tables
• B. Mosaic Law
• C. Code of Hammurabi
• D. Justinian Code

Answer: (C)

Written legal codes show how ancient societies aimed to standardize justice and make rules publicly knowable. The code famous for listing 282 laws comes from ancient Babylon and was set down under the king Hammurabi. Carved on a stele, it presents a organized collection of laws covering daily life, commerce, family, and crime, and it helped establish predictable punishments across the empire. Because it is one of the earliest full sets of written laws we have, it stands out as the oldest or among the oldest widely studied legal codes. The other options refer to different legal traditions or later periods. The Twelve Tables are early Roman laws written around the mid-5th century BCE, but they aren’t known for a specific count like 282. Mosaic Law, while foundational in religious and moral codes, isn’t a single codified legal code counted in laws. The Justinian Code is a later compilation from the Byzantine era and not among the earliest written codes.

Written legal codes show how ancient societies aimed to standardize justice and make rules publicly knowable. The code famous for listing 282 laws comes from ancient Babylon and was set down under the king Hammurabi. Carved on a stele, it presents a organized collection of laws covering daily life, commerce, family, and crime, and it helped establish predictable punishments across the empire. Because it is one of the earliest full sets of written laws we have, it stands out as the oldest or among the oldest widely studied legal codes.

The other options refer to different legal traditions or later periods. The Twelve Tables are early Roman laws written around the mid-5th century BCE, but they aren’t known for a specific count like 282. Mosaic Law, while foundational in religious and moral codes, isn’t a single codified legal code counted in laws. The Justinian Code is a later compilation from the Byzantine era and not among the earliest written codes.