Draco's Laws: What Happened
Around 621 BC, the Athenian lawgiver Draco produced Athens' first written code of laws. Before this, laws had been passed down orally and interpreted by aristocrats, who could apply them as they pleased. Writing the laws down and displaying them in public meant ordinary citizens could know the rules they lived under. Draco's code is best remembered for its extreme severity. According to later ancient writers, almost every offense, even stealing a cabbage or being idle, was punishable by death. When asked why, Draco supposedly replied that small crimes deserved death and he had no harsher penalty for great ones. The Athenian orator Demades later said Draco's laws were written in blood, not ink. This reputation gave the English language the word draconian, meaning excessively harsh. Draco's most lasting contribution was his law on homicide, which distinguished between intentional and unintentional killing and established courts to judge such cases. It survived even after Solon replaced the rest of Draco's code around 594 BC, and part of it was later found carved in stone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Draco?
Draco was an Athenian lawgiver who produced the first written code of laws for Athens around 621 BC. Before this, laws were passed down orally and interpreted by aristocrats.
Why were Draco's laws so harsh?
According to ancient writers, almost every offense, even minor theft, was punishable by death. Draco reportedly said small crimes deserved death and he had no harsher penalty for great ones.
Where does the word draconian come from?
The English word draconian, meaning excessively harsh, comes from Draco. The orator Demades later said Draco's laws were written in blood rather than ink.
Why were written laws important?
Writing laws down and displaying them in public meant ordinary citizens could know the rules they lived under, limiting the power of aristocrats to judge cases as they pleased.
Did any of Draco's laws survive?
Draco's homicide law, which distinguished between intentional and unintentional killing, survived when Solon replaced the rest of the code. Part of it was later carved in stone and found by archaeologists.
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