Draco's Code, promulgated around 621 to 620 BCE, was Athens's first written law code, replacing the arbitrary oral rulings of aristocratic judges. It is remembered chiefly for its severity, prescribing death for a wide range of offenses, which gave rise to the English word draconian. Its one durable legal contribution was the first codified distinction in Athenian law between intentional and unintentional homicide. Solon's reforms of 594 BCE repealed nearly the entire code but explicitly preserved Draco's homicide statutes, carrying that one piece of Draco's law forward into later Athenian legal practice.
Facts
Identity
SymbolA rotating wooden tablet (axon) inscribed with Athens's first written law code. 1 Promulgated ByDraco, an Athenian lawgiver 2 Legal Status
Legal Status (category) Era
Era (category) Connections
Authored By
Draco, Jurists Source Draco's Law Code (World History Encyclopedia)
Sources
1. Draco (legislator) (Wikipedia)
Wikipedialead sectionQuote, lead section
He replaced the system of oral law and blood feud by the Draconian constitution, a written code to be enforced only by a court of law.
2. Draco's Law Code (World History Encyclopedia)
World History Encyclopedia- opening
- Authored By: Draco
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