Throughout history numerous different civilizations have demonstrated brilliant, innovative solutions to the problems of their ages that have left lasting impacts on the cultures that followed them. Art, architecture, food, and literature all have distinctive styles established by various nations in the past, but perhaps one of the oldest institutions of the Western world would be that of Grecian law. The Laws of Greece undoubtedly affected the laws of Rome quite heavily, however their effects can also be seen today in numerous modern policies. When people speak of Democracy, voting, and elections the portrait painted is one of great buildings of marble and stone, alabaster-colored and regal in stature. Such an image is associated with many…show more content… But while Classical Greece may have brought many of these values into the political limelight they had been in development for centuries before the Athenians began to utilize them. These patterns of law include the principles of democratic voting, the Athenian Constitution, laws on inheritance and adoption, commerce laws and contracts, and public uniformity for agreements. Each has had a direct impact on Western law through today; with many contemporary laws being merely rephrasing’s of their Grecian counterparts. It is this extensive influence that defines the importance of the study of these laws. We can experience vicariously the effects of these laws despite the many alterations made since their incorporation, and the longevity of these principles allows us to apply them to our own conventions to ascertain how a legal case should function or how an election occurs. In our analysis of Greek law we see an ancient reflection of ourselves, and as such we can examine it to better understand our modern…show more content… It would be an entirely different law code from the beginning of the 8th century B.C. that would act as the key precedent for Athenian democratic society. The first Grecian commonwealth founded upon a specific law system was established c. 800 B.C. by a reputed Spartan lawgiver named Lycurgus. The laws were centered mainly on military discipline, and would result in the city-state of Sparta becoming renowned for its stern principles and status as the penultimate military powerhouse of Classical Greece. Lycurgus would inspire later Greek lawgivers to create and improve upon Grecian law systems, and his success would lead to the development of an even stricter system of law in Classical