- "Anu and Bel called my name, Hammurabi, exalted prince, the reverent, to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land."
Hammurabi (c. 1810 – c. 1750 BC) was the sixth king of Babylon, reigning from 1792 BC until his death, and is best known for unifying almost all of Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule and creating one of the first codes of laws in human history. He leads the Babylonians in Civilization VI.
Babylon rewrites how to win a Science Victory. Rather than focusing on gaining 
Science via conventional means, Babylon seeks to leap ahead in the Science race via unlocking 
Eurekas.
Intro
Great Hammurabi, your word is your law. You live and lead by your code, and will make sure that your empire does too. You see the world as a complex web of alliances, possibilities, and risks. Weigh the odds carefully, as you build your empire to unite Mesopotamia.
In-Game
Hammurabi's unique agenda is Cradle of Civilization. He tries to build every possible type of district in his cities, and respects other civilizations that do the same. He dislikes civilizations that focus heavily on one district type or do not build every type of district.
His leader ability is Ninu Ilu Sirum. When each specialty district, except the Government Plaza, is constructed for the first time, he receives the lowest 
Production cost building of that district for free. He also receives an 
Envoy when any other district is constructed for the first time.
Detailed Approach
Babylon's strategy depends upon using its unique abilities to leap ahead in the science race. Hammurabi has to contend with -50% Science each turn, but Eurekas, rather than just boosting research part way, unlock technologies fully. In addition, Hammurabi seeks to build one of each district, as his other unique ability grants him a free initial building in a new district. Finally, his unique building, the Palgum, provides additional Production. An effective Babylonian ruler can use the unique unit, the Sabum Kibittum, to explore the map, triggering more Eurekas by finding Natural Wonders, other civilizations, Tribal Villages, etc., owing to its additional 
Sight and 
Movement. Hammurabi is best poised to seek a Science Victory.
Lines
Hammurabi is voiced by Jose Daniel Martinez Robles. He speaks Akkadian.
Voiced
Agenda-based Approval: To copy Hammurabi is the best course. You do this, which is good.
Agenda-based Disapproval: You must do what I tell you, or I may destroy you.
Attacked: Who are you to oppose Hammurabi? You are dust, mere dirt I shake from my sandals.
Declares War: I have broken the walls of Adab and Nippur in war. Thus I shall break your cities.
Defeated: Anu! Answer your servant! Why have you allowed my defeat?
Greeting: I fill my storehouses with grain and my wells with water. The gods bless my name: Hammurabi.
Quote from Civilopedia: Anu and Bel called my name, Hammurabi, exalted prince, the reverent, to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land. (𒄩𒄠𒈬𒊏𒁉 𒊒𒁀𒄠 𒈾𒄴𒁮 𒉺𒇷𒄴 𒉌𒉌 (𒅀𒋾) 𒈪𒊭𒊏𒄠 𒄿𒈾 𒈠𒁴 𒀀𒈾 𒋗𒁉𒄿𒅎 𒀭 𒅇 𒀭𒂗𒆤 𒋗𒈪 𒅁𒁍𒌑 / Ḫa-am-mu-ra-bi ru-ba-am na-’-dam pa-li-iḫ ili (ia-ti) mi-ša-ra-am i-na ma-tim a-na šu-bi-i-im Anum u Bel šu-mi ib-bu-u)
[Note: The line in English is a slightly rephrased sentence from the prologue of Code of Hammurabi as translated by Leonard William King - "Anu and Bel called by name me, Hammurabi, the exalted prince, who feared God, to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land."[1] The line spoken in Akkadian matches the transliteration - lines 29-34 for the first part of the sentence (although for some reason the word "ia-ti" is omitted), line 45-46 for "Anum u Bel" and line 49 for "šu-mi ib-bu-u" ("called my name"). Interestingly, alternative readings of gods' names are used in the game - Anu instead of Ilu and Bel instead of Enlil. Early translators of Akkadian believed that the ideogram for the god called "Enlil" in Sumerian was to be read as "Bel" in Akkadian. Current scholarship holds this as incorrect, but one finds Bel used in referring to Enlil in older translations and discussions.[2]]
Unvoiced
Delegation: We invite you to taste the riches of Babylon. This dish is called 'the unwinding'.
[Note: Unwinding is the name of a Babylonian dish whose recipe was found on a cuneiform tablet. “Unwinding” in this case refers to what sourdough does when added to the mixture.[3]]
Accepts Delegation from Player: Your envoys climbed the great zuggurat with me, and gazed upon the gardens and rooftops of Babylon.
Rejects Delegation from Player: Your delegation does not have the correct permits to come. The permit office is closed right now.
Accepts Player's Declaration of Friendship: Like two horses pulling a common chariot, so shall our friendship pull us forward!
Requests Declaration of Friendship: I have drafted a contract of friendship. Will you make your mark upon it?
Requests Alliance: I have sent to you a tablet with our names united. Will you make your mark on it?
Denounced by Player: Lawless vulture, profaner of shrines, one who is hated by many gods! It is only by my great mercy that I still speak with you.
Denounces Player: Your words are perjury. Your oaths are a field in time of famine. Great Anu, forgive me for speaking with this one!
Invitation to Capital: Show me your capital, and I will tell you of Babylon. It is only fair.
Invitation to City: Come and see the glories of Babylon and see our gardens - the desert blooms with life!
Civilopedia entry
The name of Babylon lives on, despite being at its height over three thousand years ago, synonymous with luxury and power. And of the kings of Babylon, Hammurabi’s name also remains associated with harsh justice and rational rule.
Hammurabi was the first ruler of the Amorite dynasty of Babylon. He succeeded his father Sin-Muballit when he was still relatively young. His father built the foundation of the kingdom during his rule but wasn’t much of a conqueror, after a failed military campaign against the neighboring city of Larsa. This is possibly what pressured him into leaving the throne early to his son Hammurabi – it would have been an arrangement that made everyone happy: Larsa and their king, Rim Sin I, could rest easier with the seemingly internally-focused boy on the throne.
Hammurabi began his reign by continuing his father’s work on improving the internal structures of the kingdom. This included a code of laws that he wrote (or, rather, chiseled) in 1754 BC, which became known as the Code of Hammurabi.
The Code of Hammurabi was carved onto a giant, four-ton slab of diorite in cuneiform. The laws revolved around Lex Talionis, or retributive justice – the phrase “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” is a quotation from the Code. The idea here was that specific crimes would have specific punishments in order to ensure that there was no need for interpretation after the accused was sentenced. Many of the punishments were brutal, which was enough to deter a lot of crimes. Not all of the tests to decide guilt would hold up by today’s standards (a swimming test, for instance, to check whether a woman was unfaithful to her husband).
In Babylon, Hammurabi built up the city walls and developed a system of irrigation based around canals and aqueducts. He also began the building of magnificent temples for their gods. This made him popular with the people and raised their sense of civic duty, which was exactly what he needed. Because, contra what those people of Larsa thought, Hammurabi was indeed going to conquer southern Mesopotamia.
It would have been easy to fall into the trap of attacking Larsa to get revenge for his father’s defeat. A lesser king would have. Instead, he allied himself with Larsa when a group called the Elamites invaded central Mesopotamia (these are the same Elamites who built the city of Anshan). With their help, he quickly and easily defeated the Elamites, but as soon as that alliance served its purpose, Hammurabi turned the tables. He went to the city-states of Nippur and Lagash, making alliances with them so he could take Uruk and Isin—Larsan cities. He then turned on his allies and took Nippur and Lagash. Despite this constant dance of alliance and betrayal, he continued to find willing allies until the entirety of southern Mesopotamia was under his control.
Hammurabi’s conquest didn’t end with the conquering of Larsa. His eyes turned to the north, where king Zimri-Lim held the Amorite Kingdom of Mari. Mari was rich, and they controlled the water. Rather than continuing to negotiate with the city for the use of the Euphrates River, Hammurabi challenged Mari. He razed the city instead of conquering it, potentially to send a message to all of Mesopotamia: he was the one to set the terms for negotiation. Hammurabi continued north from there to Eshnunna and by 1755 BC, he ruled all of Mesopotamia.
He wasn’t a cruel king, regardless of what his invasions might otherwise say. He was called bani matim, or the builder of the land. He cared for his people even when he was away expanding his lands. He sent letters to his administrators with orders for the maintenance and decoration of the city. Hammurabi’s code was innovative in not only its strictness, but in its capacity for mercy – criminals were presumed innocent, for starters.
Like his father, Hammurabi trusted his son, Samsu-Iluna with the tasks of a king prior to his full ascension, so Hammurabi wasn’t concerned when age and illness caught up to him. However, following Hammurabi’s death in 1750 BC, Samsu-Iluna proved unable to hold back the invasions that followed. Barely a year after his death, his kingdom started to fall. Whether it was because his successors lacked the charisma, intelligence, or humble wisdom, or simply because alliances weren’t maintained, the kingdom was never as vast or secure as it was under Hammurabi’s reign.
Trivia
- Hammurabi is one of the leaders to whom players can be compared on the Ranking screen (if their final score is 2,250-2,499 points).
- Hammurabi's background is a ziggurat overlooking a riverbank with palm trees and some boats.
- Hammurabi's leader ability is the name given to the chapters of the Code of Hammurabi, while his leader agenda is a term describing areas where civilization is understood to have independently emerged (such as Mesopotamia).
- Hammurabi recycles some animations from Suleiman.
- Hammurabi is the oldest non-apocryphal leader in Civilization VI and its expansions, beating out the next oldest, Cyrus, by 1300 years. Gilgamesh is theoretically older, but his existence is disputed.
- Babylon's release in Civilization VI marks the fifth time Hammurabi has led it in the Civilization franchise. He was only absent from Civilization V, where Babylon was led by Nebuchadnezzar II instead.
Gallery
.png "Hammurabi loadscreen (Civ6).png (2.59 MB)")
Videos
Related achievements
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Babylon Rocker
Win a regular game as Hammurabi.
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Let's Do the Time Warp Again
As Babylon, earn 5 tech boosts for techs that are at least one era later than your current era.
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