Question

How might Hammurabi justify the harsh punishment

Answer 1

If you were in a higher class within the social construct, you could pay $$ to eliminate your punishment. hammurabi justified his punishments by stating " an eye for an eye " meaning that if you committed a crime harsh enough, you were bound to receive the same type of treatment, since it's fair & square.

Answer 2

He would say an eye for an eye. Here is one of his rules: If the builder built the roof for the person's house and it fell apart and killed the man. The man who made the roof would die. This is what it is.