Timeline Hammurabi: Lawgiver King of Babylon

Hammurabi: Lawgiver King of Babylon 21

• 1810 BC Hammurabi is born in Babylon Son of King Sin-Muballit of the Amorite First Dynasty of Babylon Hammurabi was born around 1810 BC, the son of Sin-Muballit, king of the then-modest city-state of Babylon. The year is an estimate.
• 1792 BC Hammurabi proclaims justice in the land An early decree commemorated in the name of his second regnal year His second year name records that Hammurabi established justice (misharum) in the land. This was a traditional royal act of relieving debts at the start of a reign.
• 1792 BC Hammurabi succeeds his father Sin-Muballit as king of Babylon Start of a 43-year reign Hammurabi took the throne of Babylon around 1792 BC. At the time Babylon was one of several rival kingdoms, alongside Larsa, Eshnunna, Mari and Shamshi-Adad's Upper Mesopotamia.
• 1786 BC Hammurabi captures Uruk and Isin Campaign against territory held by Larsa, recorded in his seventh year name In about his seventh regnal year, Hammurabi seized Uruk and Isin from the kingdom of Larsa. Historians see it as a short-lived raid rather than a lasting conquest.
• 1784 BC Hammurabi digs the Hammurabi-hegal canal Irrigation work commemorated in his ninth year name Hammurabi had a canal named 'Hammurabi is abundance' dug. Canal building was central to how he presented himself as a king who provided for his people.
• 1783 BC Hammurabi defeats the army of Malgium Victory recorded in his tenth year name Supported by allies, Hammurabi defeated the forces of Malgium on the Tigris. The city nevertheless stayed independent.
• 1782 BC Hammurabi captures Rapiqum Expansion up the Euphrates, recorded in his eleventh year name Hammurabi took the town of Rapiqum on the middle Euphrates, extending Babylonian control northwestward.
• 1775 BC Hammurabi's powerful neighbour Shamshi-Adad I dies The Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia breaks apart The death of Shamshi-Adad I around 1775 BC broke up the dominant northern kingdom. This let Zimri-Lim retake Mari and gave Hammurabi room to manoeuvre among the rival powers.
• 1765 BC Hammurabi joins a coalition against the Elamite invasion Alliance with Zimri-Lim of Mari against Elam After Elam overran Eshnunna and pushed into Mesopotamia, Hammurabi allied with Zimri-Lim of Mari and other rulers to resist it. The Mari letters record the diplomacy.
• 1764 BC Hammurabi defeats Elam and its allies Victory celebrated in his thirtieth year name Hammurabi's forces drove back the army of Elam along with Subartu, Gutium, Eshnunna and Malgium, ending the Elamite threat to Babylon.
• 1764 BC Hammurabi turns on Rim-Sin and besieges Larsa War against the dominant kingdom of southern Mesopotamia Rim-Sin of Larsa had refused to help against Elam, so Hammurabi turned against him and laid siege to Larsa.
• 1763 BC Hammurabi conquers Larsa and captures Rim-Sin Babylon annexes Sumer after a six-month siege Larsa fell after a six-month siege. Rim-Sin fled, was later captured, and Hammurabi annexed his kingdom, bringing southern Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule.
• 1762 BC Hammurabi defeats Eshnunna Victory commemorated in his thirty-second year name Hammurabi defeated the armies of Eshnunna and its northern allies, removing his main rival east of the Tigris.
• 1761 BC Hammurabi conquers Mari and overthrows his former ally Zimri-Lim The great kingdom on the middle Euphrates falls to Babylon Hammurabi turned against his former ally and captured Mari, ending Zimri-Lim's reign. The palace archives left behind are a major source for his reign.
• 1760 BC Hammurabi digs the canal 'Hammurabi is the abundance of the people' Major irrigation project named in his thirty-third year name Hammurabi commemorated a new canal that brought water to the cities of Sumer and Akkad, presenting himself as the provider for his enlarged kingdom.
• 1759 BC Hammurabi destroys the walls of Mari The city is razed after a period of Babylonian occupation Between 1761 and 1759 BC, Mari was captured and then destroyed. Hammurabi tore down its walls and the city never recovered its former power.
• 1756 BC Hammurabi campaigns against Turukku, Kakmum and Subartu Northern wars recorded in his thirty-seventh year name Hammurabi fought the peoples of the Zagros foothills and northern Mesopotamia to secure the frontiers of his kingdom.
• 1755 BC Hammurabi destroys Eshnunna with a great flood Final blow against Eshnunna, recorded in his thirty-eighth year name His thirty-eighth year name records that Hammurabi destroyed Eshnunna with a great flood, which is thought to mean deliberately diverted water.
• 1754 BC Hammurabi issues the Code of Hammurabi 282 laws inscribed on a basalt stele Late in his reign, Hammurabi had his collection of laws inscribed on stelae, framed by a prologue and epilogue declaring him a just king. It is one of the most complete legal texts surviving from the ancient Near East.
• 1750 BC Hammurabi dies in Babylon Death in the forty-third year of his reign Hammurabi died around 1750 BC, in the forty-third year of his reign, and was succeeded by Samsu-iluna. His empire soon began to shrink under his successors.
• 1750 BC Hammurabi's son Samsu-iluna takes over royal duties The ailing king hands government to his heir Contemporary letters suggest that in his last months, as he fell ill, Hammurabi's son Samsu-iluna took over the running of the kingdom.