Episode 4: The First Lawgivers episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 18, 2026 · 10 MIN

Episode 4: The First Lawgivers

from Historia Juris: A Layman's Guide to the History of the Law · host Randy Scudder, Esq.

Before courts, before constitutions—and before judges—there was stone.In Episode 4 of Historia Juris, we journey to ancient Mesopotamia, where humanity first carved its laws into clay tablets and towering monuments. Learn how rulers like Ur‑Nammu, Lipit‑Ishtar, and Hammurabi used written law to impose order, define justice, and claim divine authority.Why was murder punished one way and injury another? Where did “innocent until proven guilty” begin? And what did justice look like nearly four thousand years ago?The answers may sound surprisingly familiar.

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Episode 4: The First Lawgivers

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This episode is 10 minutes long.

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This episode was published on April 18, 2026.

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Before courts, before constitutions—and before judges—there was stone.In Episode 4 of Historia Juris, we journey to ancient Mesopotamia, where humanity first carved its laws into clay tablets and towering monuments. Learn how rulers like Ur‑Nammu,...

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