But laws were not simply instruments of power and social control. From ancient Mesopotamia to today, an “exceptionally rich narrative” (Wall Street Journal) of how humans have used laws to forge civilizations Rulers throughout history have used laws to impose order. They also offered ordinary people a way to express their diverse visions for a better world. In The Rule of Laws, Oxford scholar Fernanda Pirie traces the rise and fall of the sophisticated legal systems underpinning ancient empires and religious traditions.