Background

“For a patrimonial state to be stable over time, it is best ruled with consent, at least with consent from the largest minority, if not from the majority. Instinctive obedience must be the norm, otherwise too much effort needs to be put into suppressing disaffection for the regime's wider aims to be achievable. Consent is, however, not always easy to obtain. The collective view of most societies is rather conservative: in the main people prefer to see the social arrangements of their youth perpetuated into their old age; they prefer that things be done in the time-honoured way; they are suspicious of novelty and resistant to change. Thus when radical action must be taken, for whatever reason, a great burden falls on the ruler, the father-figure, who has to overcome this social inertia and persuade his subjects to follow his lead. In order that his will shall prevail, he needs to generate huge respect, preferably adulation, and if at all possible sheer awe among his people.” 
- Paul Kriwaczek, Babylon: Mesopotamia And The Birth Of Civilization
Image courtesy of: Fournel.org
Babylon was an ancient cultural center where the arts thrived. The city-state was founded in the 23rd century B.C.E. in Ancient Mesopotamia. The First Babylonian Empire was established in 1894 B.C.E. after the fall of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and lasted until 1595 BCE. Hammurabi, the Babylonian Empire's sixth king, ruled from about 1792 B.C.E. to 1750 B.C.E.  The empire's origins cannot be pinpointed because of the region's high water table, so evidence must be drawn from writings and the surrounding area.
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Video courtesy of: HistoricalTV, Youtube.com