The Code of Hammurabi (1700 BCE)

Hammurabi, the King of Babylon codified the rules and penalties for every aspect of Babylonian life. By attributing his laws to the Gods it encouraged compliance from the people. It is one of the earliest known sets of recorded laws and reflected a patriarchal society. Hammurabi s laws were based on retribution and restitution was common in the event of damage of property or theft. Mosaic Law (1300 BCE)

The Mosaic Law is a biblical or Hebrew law found in the Book of Exodus. In the Bible, we are told that God gave Moses laws to be followed by the Hebrew people. These laws are now commonly called the Ten Commandments. The Mosaic Law is more concerned with punishing a deliberate action than an accidental act of harm. The law expressed care for the poor and was less gender specific. Great Laws of Manu (1280 880 BCE)

The Great Law of Manu is a document of laws that had been passed from generation to generation in an oral tradition. This law is a foundational work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society and was recorded by law makers in India. It is considered the most important and earliest work of recorded law of the tradition of Hinduism. The text presents itself as a discourse given by Manu, the progenitor of mankind to a group of seers, who beseech him to tell them the "law of all the social classes." It contains laws, rules and codes of conduct to be applied by individuals, communities and nations.

Code of Li k vei (350 BCE)

The oldest known Chinese imperial code was the Code of Li k vei, which was a set of Chinese laws written around 350 BCE and included laws dealing with theft, robbery, prison, and arrest. It also dealt with general rules of Chinese society. The code of Li k vei served as a model for the T ang Code which was a more standardized code that came about 1000 years later. The T ang Code was the base for many laws which still exist in China today.

Roman Law (450 BC)

The Roman Law is now considered the foundation of modern law. There are two basic principles of Roman Law, the first is that the law must be recorded and the second is that justice must not be left in the hands of the judges alone to interpret. One of the earliest roman codes (The Twelve Tablets), determined the law of England during Roman occupation. The law reflected a patriarchal society and as the society became more complex, more laws were devised. It became necessary to seek advice from people who had more expertise in law. These legal advisers were the forerunners of present-day lawyers.

Greek Law (400 BCE)

The first form of democracy was born in Greece, so citizen involvement was an important principle in Greek Law. Voting and jury duty were major responsibilities of Athenian citizens. Only a small percentage of Athenian people actually had political rights. Women, children, aliens, and slaves were excluded. The Greeks used democracy to decide on the sentence of an accused. The accused and accuser would suggest a sentence and the jury would vote for the most appropriate sentence.

Justinian s Code (529 AD)

Justinian s Code is the clarification and organization of Roman Law commissioned by Justinian l. Byzantine Emperor Justinian commissioned men to clarify 1600 books of Roman Law. By 529 CE Justinian had a new body of law known as the Justinian code. This code inspired the modern concept of justice and served as a basis of contemporary society and civil law. It became one of the main legal systems to govern western civilization and can be found in laws of many European countries.

Napoleonic Code(1804 CE)

The Napoleonic Code is the civil law of France completed in 1804 and is also called the French Civil Code. Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned a new code of laws called the Napoleonic Code which went into effect in 1804. These laws represented a compromise between the Germen Law and the Justinian Code. The code regulated civil matters and became popular because of its not technical style which made the law accessible to the public.