"equality before the law," c. 1600, from Italian or Latin, ultimately from Greek isonomia "equality of rights, the equality of a Greek democracy," from isos "equal, identical" (see iso-) + nomos "law" (see numismatics). Related: Isonomic (1851), which appears to be a separate formation in geology. Greek also had isoteleia in reference to an equality before the law sometimes granted to aliens in Athens, "equality of tax and tribute."
