Send us Fan Mail Athens' justice system began as oral law and later implemented draconian and solonian law. History sees this as progress simply because the laws came about later during the civilization--perhaps this 'progress' exacerbated the problem. Comparing a simple system of oral laws to our current judicial system in the U.S. we could certainly say we lost our way. Lawyers and Judges must study for a decade or more to be fit to judge the morality of things, whereas in Athens, every ci...