Empire of Hammurabi Babylon remained a minor town in a small state until the reign of its sixth Amorite ruler, Hammurabi, during 1792–1750 BC (or –1686 BC in the short chronology). He conducted major building work in Babylon, expanding it from a small town into a great city worthy of kingship. A very efficient ruler, he established a bureaucracy, with taxation and centralized government. Hammurabi freed Babylon from Elamite dominance, and indeed drove the Elamites from southern Mesopotamia entirely, invading Elam itself. He then systematically conquered southern Mesopotamia, including the cities of Isin, Larsa, Eshnunna, Kish, Lagash, Nippur, Borsippa, Ur, Uruk, Umma, Adab, Sippar, Rapiqum, and Eridu. His conquests gave the region stability after turbulent times, and coalesced the patchwork of small states into a single nation; it is only from the time of Hammurabi that southern Mesopotamia acquired the name Babylonia.
Empire of Hammurabi Babylon remained a minor town in a small state until the reign of its sixth Amorite ruler Hammurabi during 1792–1750 BC (or –1686 BC in the short chronology) He conducted major building work in Babylon expanding it from a small town into a great city worthy of kingship A very efficient ruler he established a bureaucracy with taxation and centralized government Hammurabi freed Babylon from Elamite dominance and indeed drove the Elamites from southern Mesopotamia entirely invading Elam itself He then systematically conquered southern Mesopotamia including the cities of Isin Larsa Eshnunna Kish Lagash Nippur Borsippa Ur Uruk Umma Adab Sippar Rapiqum and Eridu His conquests gave the region stability after turbulent times and coalesced the patchwork of small states into a single nation; it is only from the time of Hammurabi that southern Mesopotamia acquired the name Babylonia