Believed to be the world’s oldest written legal code, the Code of Ur-Nammu—dating back to around 2100 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia—opens with a striking first law: "If a man commits a murder, that man must be killed." This early declaration of capital punishment marks a foundational moment in legal history, illustrating how justice and social order were enforced nearly 4,000 years ago. The law reflects retributive justice principles and highlights the emergence of state-adminis