Year 10 (S1) Ancient History

Draco’s Laws

Law/ Judgement
Implementation
of Law
Wrote down the laws
on tablets, then
placed these in the
middle of Athens for
all to see

Distinguished
between “murder”
and “involuntary
homicide”
(manslaughter,
killing someone
through other poor
decisions rather than
actually trying to kill
them)

Someone who owed

a debt to someone of
a higher social class
could be enslaved

The penalty for

murder was the death
penalty
Whoever could
afford military
equipment (Hoplite-
class) could vote and
hold minor political
positions

Military generals and

council members
(Who governed
Athens) could only
come from the land-
owning Eupatridae
class

The penalty for

minor offences, such
as theft, was the
death penalty

The penalty for

involuntary homicide
(accidentally killing
someone) was exile

Council members
who were absent
from their duty could
be fined