The Draco reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Draco

''This article is about Draco, the Greek lawgiver from Athens. For other Draco's see Draco (disambiguation).

Draco was the first lawgiver of ancient Athens, Greece. His laws, written in 621 BC when he was archon eponymous, were particularly harsh, as the death penalty was the punishment for even minor offenses. Hence phraseology such as "draconian punishment" or "draconian laws".

Draco's code of laws was superseded by that of Solon in the early 6th century BC.

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