Solon: a legislator and reformer in Ancient Athens
Solon's reforms
- Around 600 BC many Athenians were losing their freedom, and were being enslaved through debt bondage.
This movement of power continued for some time and wealthy families were
gaining political power as they grew richer. Had this trend continued, a
rebellion would have been unavoidable.
-
- Fortunately, Solon, the Archon at the time (594 BC) realized the severity of the situation and enacted laws that not only protected Athenians from being enslaved or arrested
for debt, but also gave them more rights. For the first time the decisions
of archons and officials could be challenged.1
-
- As a result of Solon's political reforms, the
population of Athens was divided into four political groups based on their
agricultural output. The most powerful and productive group were the pentakosiomedimnoi. Individuals who belonged to this group had the greatest agricultural output and possessed the most power in the polis (state). The second most influential group were the hippeis: archons and various other officials belonged to this group. The third group was not as powerful as the first two. However,
the zeugitai also possessed some degree of political influence and members
of this group usually held lower offices in the polis. The least powerful
of the four were the thetes, who owned no land at all, and those who belonged to this group were generally poor and had very little influence in the polis. Of course slaves were below even the thetes. Aristotle and many other historians have stated that for the first time in Athenian history Solon
permitted the thetes to participate in the Assembly. However, this claim
is now being challenged by modern historians who believe this to be too revolutionary a step for the moderate Solon.2
-
- The three upper classes made up the Athenian
army in time of war. Solon brought about many more changes in Athens, including changes in the polis which enabled more people to participate in the government.
He created the Council of 400 which consisted of a hundred members from each
political class. The purpose of this council was to screen business going
before the assembly. Although the formation of the Council of 400 allowed
for more participation, the protection of public order remained in the hands
of the Areopagus, the council of aristocrats.3 Solon was also
responsible for a new law which permited the lowest class to
serve as jurors during trials. To justify and explain his actions he wrote:
"I have given the common people sufficient
power to assure them of dignity, and I have protected those of great wealth
and influence. I took a firm stand, holding my stout shield over both classes,
so that neither should win any unfair advantage."4
Solon was one of the founding fathers of democracy.
He accomplished many things in a short period of time. Some of his
reforms didn't last long, but others laid the foundations for democracy.
Bibliography
- Most influential politicians of Ancient
Greece from 600 BC - 323 BC
- Some contributed more than others to the development
of
- Democracy.
- Solon's laws
|
- 600 - 563 BC
|
- Name unknown
|
- 563 - 561 BC
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- Peisistratus (tyrant)
|
- 561 - 557 BC
- 546 - 527 BC
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- Sons of Peisistratus
- Hipparchus (killed in 514
BC)
- and Hippias
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- 527 - 514 BC
|
- Hippias
|
- 514 - 510 BC
|
- Isagoras
|
- 510 - 508 BC
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- Cleisthenes
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- 510 - appr.500 BC
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- Themistocles
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- 500 BC - *
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- Aristides
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- *- 470's BC
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- Cimon
|
- 470's - 461 BC
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- Ephialtes
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- 460's - 451 BC
|
- Pericles
|
- 451 - 431 BC
|
- Peloponnesian
War
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- 431 - 403 BC
|
- Radical Democracy
|
- 403 - 322 BC
|
- Philip of Macedon
|
- 338BC - *
|
- Philip's son Alexander
the Great
|
- *BC - 323 BC
|
* I was unable to find exact
dates
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