How did Solon revise Draco’s harsh law code?

Solon revised the harsh legal code of Draco by repealing nearly all of its statutes, which were notoriously severe and prescribed the death penalty for most offenses. Solon’s new code was designed to be more humane, though he notably retained Draco’s laws concerning homicide.1234

Beyond simply replacing the content of the laws, Solon introduced two fundamental changes to the Athenian judicial process:

• Right of Appeal: He granted citizens the right to appeal the verdicts of magistrates to a court of the people at large, providing a measure of oversight.45
• Right to Initiate Suit: He established that any Athenian citizen—not just the individual directly injured by a crime—could initiate a legal suit.4

These reforms shifted the legal system toward greater community involvement and reduced the arbitrary power of the aristocracy, serving as a foundation for Athenian law until the end of the 5th century BCE.35