**The Rise of Babylon (Old Babylonian Period, ~1894-1595 BC…

**The Rise of Babylon (Old Babylonian Period, ~1894-1595 BC):**
- Emerged from the fragmentation of Ur III's centralized system
- Multiple city-states competed with different monetary and legal standards
- Eventually consolidated under Hammurabi's code (standardization attempt)
- Represented a shift from pure centralization to regional power centers