The Code of Hammurabi, inscribed on a stone stele around 1754 BCE, set out laws governing trade, family relations, and criminal penalties in ancient Babylon. The code prescribed different punishments for the same offense depending on the social class of the offender and the victim — a free man and an enslaved person causing identical injuries faced markedly different consequences. The stele itself was placed in a public location for citizens to consult.
Based on the passage, which inference is most strongly supported about Babylonian law?
- Acheck_circle
It both formalized rules and embedded existing social hierarchies into legal consequences
- B
It applied only to commercial transactions
- C
It was kept secret from ordinary citizens
- D
It treated all individuals equally regardless of social status
Explanation
Different penalties by social class and public display supports B. A contradicts class differences; C contradicts public placement; D contradicts coverage of family and criminal matters.