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The word for today is…
draconian (adjective) –
1 law : of, relating to, or characteristic of Draco or the severe code of laws held to have been framed by him
2 : cruel : severe
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology : Draconian comes from Draco, the name of a 7th-century B.C. Athenian legislator who created a written code of law. Draco’s code was intended to clarify preexistent laws, but its severity is what made it really memorable. In Draco’s code, even minor offenses were punishable by death, and failure to pay one’s debts could result in slavery. Draconian, as a result, became associated with things cruel or harsh. Something draconian need not always be as cruel as the laws in Draco’s code, though – today the word is used in a wide variety of ways and often refers to measures (steep parking fines, for example) that are relatively minor when compared with the death penalty.
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