When we talk about “laws,” your mind probably flies to courtroom dramas, contracts, or maybe “you have the right to remain silent.” But dig deeper, and you’ll find that the history of law is full of jaw-dropping twists — from stone tablets to modern constitutions. Here are 10 facts that’ll make you double-check your law books.

Also Read: 10 Indian Laws That Make You Go “Wait…What?

1. The Very First Laws Were Written by Accident – History of Law

You think your morning to-do list is old? The Code of Ur-Nammu (circa 2100 BCE) is the oldest known legal code on record — and it laid out punishments (like fines and physical penalties) for things such as theft and bodily harm. It wasn’t a “law school assignment” — it was ancient statecraft in action.

2. Hammurabi’s Code: Carved, Public, and Brutally Fair

Around 1754 BCE, King Hammurabi of Babylon had 282 laws inscribed on a huge stone stele so everyone could see them (yes, even illiterate folks would hear public readings). It introduced the now-famous “an eye for an eye” idea — retribution built into the bones of legal order.

3. Egyptians Did Law by Divine Principle

In ancient Egypt, law wasn’t just rules — it was Maʽat: the cosmic order, truth, harmony. Judges didn’t only interpret statutes — they invoked a metaphysical balance. That’s law + philosophy + religion rolled into one.

4. Rome Didn’t Just Build Roads — It Built Legal Infrastructure

From the Twelve Tables to jus civile, Roman law was meticulous, systematic, and legendary. Under Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, the Corpus Juris Civilis organized and preserved centuries of Roman legal thought — and it still undergirds many civil law systems today.

5. Common Law Was Born as a Judge’s Side Hustle

In medieval England, kings and nobles weren’t writing statutes for every quirky situation. Judges started relying on precedents — using earlier judgments to resolve new cases. That organic evolution is the backbone of common law systems (like in India, UK, and the U.S.).

6. Magna Carta: An “Oops, You’re Not Above the Law” Moment

In 1215, King John was forced to accept limits on his royal power via the Magna Carta. It said what we now take for granted — even monarchs must follow the law, due process matters, you can’t take property without consequence. It planted the seed for constitutionalism.

7. Lawyers Were Once Volunteers

Early Roman advocates didn’t get paid, and this is the History of Law. They argued in courts out of civic duty. It was only later (during Emperor Claudius’s reign) that paid advocacy became formalized. Lawyers, in other words, were once amateurs in the literal sense.

8. The World’s Oldest Law School is Still Around

The University of Bologna, founded in 1088 CE, has been teaching law continuously for nearly a millennium. Its early curricula focused heavily on Roman and canon law — and “alma mater juris” isn’t just poetic; it’s historical.

9. Women Got a Foot in the Door Only in Recent Centuries

For much of history, law was a men-only club. In the U.S., Arabella Mansfield became the first woman admitted to the bar in 1869. In British India, Cornelia Sorabji (1892) became the first female advocate. Before that, the courtroom was almost exclusively masculine space.

10. Modern International Law Rose from the Ashes of War

After the devastation of World War II, the world couldn’t pretend “war’s just war.” The Nuremberg Trials, the founding of the United Nations, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) laid the foundation for modern ideas of war crimes, state accountability, and human rights protections.

Law is not a dusty relic. It’s a living, breathing tapestry woven from ancient codes, radical revolts, moral philosophy, and global horrors. We hope you enjoyed the History of Law blog as much as we liked researching and creating it.