The earliest human legal systems were almost completely forms of lex talionis. that means "the law of revenge." the lex talionis is a law of equal and direct revenge. it is what it says in hebrew scriptures: "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life." the best example of this law was hammurabi's code. hammurabi was a babylonian king. he created a series of 282 laws. those laws were based entirely on the principle of revenge. under this code, a person found guilty of murder was immediately stoned to death or drowned in a river. a person who assaulted another person was to have his or her hands cut off.
which statement is the best summary of this paragraph?
a. hammurabi was a babylonian king. he created 282 laws based on revenge. one law said a person that beat up another person had to have his or her hands cut off.
b. hebrew scriptures say, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life." this means the punishment should fit the crime. it is law based on revenge.
c. if a person was guilty of murder, hammurabi's code said that he or she had to be killed by stoning or drowning. hammurabi was the king of babylon many years ago.
d. lex talionis is the idea of law based on revenge. hammurabi's code is an example of this. the code was made up of 282 laws based on the idea of revenge.