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In 1901 a French archaeological expedition, digging up the city of Susa in Elam (east of Babylon), discovered a basaltic pillar with all sides covered with cuneiform writing. This unique finding was the discovery of the oldest law code in the world.
The text of Code of Hammurabi (Codex Hammurabi) consists of a prologue, 282 articles and an epilogue. Laws are carved in cuneiform on both sides of the pillar on the classical Babylonian dialect of Akkadian. At the top of the column there is Hammurabi depicted, receiving the laws from the hands of the sun god Shamash (or god Marduk). The part of the text of the Code was struck and can be partially reconstructed from other sources (for example, quotes of the laws on clay tablets).
Laws reflected rather high level of class and social differentiation. While the cuneiform law did not know the division on civil and criminal, articles are grouped thematically: the process, property, royal service, marriage and family obligations, etc. Every topic is treated from the criminal point of view civil legal point of view.
Nowadays the Code of Hammurabi is displayed in the Paris Louvre. The exact copy of the column can also be seen in Moscow in the Training Art Museum of casts named after Tsvetaeva and in Asia Minor Museum in Berlin.
Chronology:

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2250 B.C- The Code of Hammurabi was compiled. It is the earliest code ever known.

1901 BC -The stele containing the Code of Hammurabi was found by the Egyptologist Gustav Jéquier, a member of the expedition, headed by Jacques de Morgan.

1792 BC to 1750 BC middle chronology – Hammurabi was the sixth king of Babylon (1728 BC – 1686 BC short chronology)

1897 – The beginning of excavations in Susa(the capital of ancient Elama), where lately the code of Hammurabi was found.

1894 B.C – The foundation of Amorite dynasty founded by Shumu-Abum whose sixth ruler was the king Hammurabi.

1787 BC – The king Hammurabi began his military by conquering the cities of Uruk and Isin to the south.

В 1764 BC- Hammurabi defeated a coalition of Ashur, and Eshnunna Elam – the main force in the east of the Tigris, threatened to block his access to metal producing territories of Iran.

1763- Hammurabi fought against a coalition east of the Tigris that threatened to block access to metal-producing areas in Iran. That year he also conquered the city of Larsa.

1762 BC- Hammurabi expelled Rimsin from the boundaries of Sumer., Lars fell, and the thirty-year struggle between Hammurabi and Rimsinom ended.

1761 BC. – Hammurabi came against his long-term ally Zimrilima king of Mari.

1759 BC – Hammurabi conquered the kingdom of Mari, and that city was razed by his orders.

1750 BC – Hammurabi died.

The Code of Hammurabi (Codex Hammurabi) is a set of laws of slave state, named after the king of Babylonia in 1792-1750 BC Hammurabi, who gave great importance to the legislative process and started it in the very beginning of his reign. The first codification was undertaken on the 2nd year of the reign, the king “established the law of the country.” But it was not preserved. Famous Code of Hammurabi refers to the end of his reign. They were carved on a big black basalt column (Harper 2009).
Unlike the Romans, and Slavs, who were writing their own laws on wooden boards, Oriental Orthodox peoples used stone. There is too little wood there, but a lot of stone. Exhibited in the town square the “pillar of the laws” was to serve justice perpetrated there, and at the same time, to recall: No one can plead ignorance of law.
On the top of the pillar the king is depicted, standing in front of the sun god Shamash – the patron saint of the court. Under the relief text of laws is engraved, filling both sides of the column. The text consists of 3 parts. The first is the extensive introduction, in which Hammurabi declares that the gods gave him the kingdom in order, “to the strong do not oppress the weak.” The introduction is followed by articles of law, which end with substantive conclusion.