FYI, a bit more than Iraq. The area included Turkey (the Hittites), Assyrian Empire, Persia as well.

The Code of Hammurabi is dated to the 1st Dynasty of Babylon. This was eleven hundred years after the Egyptian building of the pyramids and the consolodation of their cities. Obviously, even having cities implies a social organization that would require laws, requlations and a system to enforce the same.

As far as Mesopotamia being the cradle of civilization, this is only a convenient convention. It has no factual basis. It is interesting though---as is the older zigarat at UR.

Publius