Extremely harsh, severe, or cruel in a way that seems unfair or excessive.
From Draco, an ancient Athenian lawgiver (around 620 BC) whose legal code was infamous for being brutally strict—even minor crimes brought severe punishments. His name became synonymous with harsh laws.
Draco's law code was so famous for harshness that over 2,500 years later we still use his name as an insult to describe anything too strict! According to legend, death was the penalty for almost everything, even stealing an apple.
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