The term 'ANCIENT LAW' can be broken down into two parts: 'Lex, ' which is a Latin word meaning 'LAW, ' and 'ANCIENT, ' which refers to something that is very old. Lex is also the root of the English word 'LEGAL, ' which is used to describe laws and regulations. ANCIENT LAW is a term used to refer to laws that were established in ANCIENT times, often before written records were kept. These laws were usually based on customs and traditions, and were passed down orally from generation to generation.