The ancient civilization known for developing the earliest known code of law is Mesopotamia, specifically the Sumerians who created the Code of Ur-Nammu. However, it is the Code of Hammurabi, established by the Babylonian king Hammurabi around 1754 BCE, that is most famously recognized. This legal text consisted of 282 laws governing various aspects of society, emphasizing justice and the principle of "an eye for an eye." Hammurabi's code represented one of the first attempts to set codified laws, influencing legal systems in subsequent civilizations and contributing to our understanding of law and society in ancient times.