In terms of politics, jurisprudence, religion and language, Babylonia was strongly influenced by the Akkadian empire from which it emerged and had previously been a part of the Assyrian empire that was centred further north (Babylonian ascendency led to regionally rivalry with the surviving Assyrian culture).

Law codes, literary tradition, modes of worship, societal organisation and artistic/architectural stylings all continue from these earlier cultures. And whilst Sumerian was retained as a liturgical language, by the time of Hammurabi a regional dialect Akkadian was the spoken vernacular in most widespread use.