Because of the historical significance and legendary status achieved by the city of Babylon, the term "Babylonian" is often used to refer to all of the ancient cultures and tribes of Mesopotamia The oldest known urban and literate culture in the world was developed by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia beginning in the late 4th millennium BC For centuries, Babylon was an insignificant suburb of the Sumenan capital of Ur until Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC) came to power Hammurabi unified the bickering Sumerians and Akkadians and created the famous Code of Hammurabi, the most comprehensive code of laws of antiquity with 283 entries covering topics from criminal punishments to family laws Under Hammurabi, Babylon became the commercial and political center of southern Mesopotamia, but its prestige and wealth made it a target for foreign conquerors The city and empire would be ruled, in succession, by the Hittites, Kassites, Assyrians, Arameans and Chaldeans…
