What symbolized the social hierarchy in the law code of Hammurabi?

The law code of Hammurabi is often associated with a pyramid as it symbolizes the structured social hierarchy of Babylonian society depicted in the code. The pyramid reflects the stratified nature of ancient Mesopotamian social organization, with distinct classes ranging from the king and nobility at the top, followed by the free citizens and lastly the slaves at the bottom. Each level of this hierarchy had varying rights and responsibilities, which were clearly defined in Hammurabi’s laws.

The use of the pyramid to represent this hierarchy helps illustrate how power, privilege, and legal standing were distributed among the population. Hammurabi’s code itself was inscribed on a stele, which displays the king receiving the laws from the sun god Shamash, further reinforcing the notion that the laws were divinely sanctioned and structured in a way that reflected the established social order. This visual representation aids in understanding the overall governance and justice system of ancient Babylon, emphasizing the importance of social class within the framework of law.