Code of Hammurabi: The Most Influential Law Code of the Ancient World (opens in new tab)

Hammurabi's code was instituted throughout the land, unifying the people under law instead of only by conquest. Unlike the Akkadian Empire, which had found it necessary to position handpicked officials to administrate their conquered cities, Hammurabi controlled his empire through law. In the prologue to his code, he not only makes clear that these are divine laws but that he had only the people's best interests at heart.