Hammurabi had a set of laws that were based around the idea of an eye for an eye. This was the first official form of government, and it gave way to the basic idea of keeping order through an absolute set of laws. It was also significant when the city was eventually raided and Hammurabi's era fell. The stone it was carved on was kept in-tact by those who invaded. This shows that there was interest in this kind of ruling, as it was both fair and orderly. Most laws you see in his code are based around punishment, which is why it is considered the first form of government, since Hammurabi ruled by written fear.
