Hammurabi was born in the city-state of Babylon. Not much is known about his youth, but it is known that he grew up as a prince at court. At the age of eighteen, he came to power (1792) after a serious illness and his father's death. He was the sixth king of the First Babylonian dynasty and ruled until he died in 1750. During his 43-year reign, he did much for Babylon. His state reached the peak of political, cultural, and economic power in that period. His influence was extended to almost the entire territory of present-day Iraq and eastern Syria. To control the vast area in which he had power, he compiled a code known as the Hammurabi Code. This act is considered one of the oldest written codes in history.
