Draconian
adjective
(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.
Draconian is a word coined in around 1810, derived from Draco, the first lawmaker of Athens in Ancient Greece during the 7th century B.C. He overthrew the then existing forms of punishment and wrote a code to be enforced only by the court. This code was too harsh, and rendered even the petty criminals dead. Thus, the word "draconian" refers to unforgiving and severe punishments.
The laws laid down by Draco were the first written constitution of Athens.
Instead of oral laws, all the laws were in written form. The Draconian laws made a difference between a murder and an involuntary homicide.
The laws, however, were particularly harsh. For example, any debtor whose status was lower than that of his creditor was forced into slavery.The punishment was more lenient for those owing debt to a member of a lower class. The death penalty was the punishment for even minor offences. Draco ascribed death penalty for minor offences because he felt that the criminals deserved it. Since nothing could be severe than this, he ascribed death to major offenders also.
In 6th century, all his laws were thrown over by Solon, and made some modifications to it.
The harshness and the severity of the punishments that Draco made the criminals to face, had a permanent mark in the pages of International history, compelling a linguistic addition of the word "draconian" in the English language.
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adjective
(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.
Draconian is a word coined in around 1810, derived from Draco, the first lawmaker of Athens in Ancient Greece during the 7th century B.C. He overthrew the then existing forms of punishment and wrote a code to be enforced only by the court. This code was too harsh, and rendered even the petty criminals dead. Thus, the word "draconian" refers to unforgiving and severe punishments.
The laws laid down by Draco were the first written constitution of Athens.
Instead of oral laws, all the laws were in written form. The Draconian laws made a difference between a murder and an involuntary homicide.
The laws, however, were particularly harsh. For example, any debtor whose status was lower than that of his creditor was forced into slavery.The punishment was more lenient for those owing debt to a member of a lower class. The death penalty was the punishment for even minor offences. Draco ascribed death penalty for minor offences because he felt that the criminals deserved it. Since nothing could be severe than this, he ascribed death to major offenders also.
In 6th century, all his laws were thrown over by Solon, and made some modifications to it.
The harshness and the severity of the punishments that Draco made the criminals to face, had a permanent mark in the pages of International history, compelling a linguistic addition of the word "draconian" in the English language.
