Vox Populi 2023

Solon: Reformer,
Law Maker, Poet
Jonathan, Lower Sixth
The principal sources for
details of Solon’s life are
Herodotus and Plutarch,
with Aristotle providing
information on changes in
the field of law.
Who was Solon?
Solon was an Athenian politician and poet
of noble birth who lived in the late seventh
and early sixth centuries BCE. One of the
Seven Sages listed in Plato’s Protagoras,
he was archon at Athens 594-593 BCE.
This is probably when he put in place
his reforms, which modernised Dracon’s
earlier laws. Despite his noble birth, he
came to sympathise with the poor. After
his archonship, he left Athens to travel
for 10 years, with this being the period
of time within which the Athenians had
agreed not to change his laws in order for
them to have time to take effect.
Why is Solon an important figure in
ancient Greek history?
Through his changes and legislation, Solon
laid the foundations for the reasonably
stable society of democratic Athens. His
reforms strengthened the assembly and
the law courts. Furthermore, he made
changes to society which created a free
peasant class and curbed the powers of
the nobility to some extent. Indeed, he
Below: Solon - Merry Joseph Blondel
can be considered an early agent in social
class struggle, if we wish to use a rather
anachronistic term.
Arguably, Solon’s most important reform
was ‘seisachtheia’ (literally a ‘shaking off
of burdens’), which is sometimes seen as
a cancellation of debts. It is more likely
to have been a liberation of the class of
‘hektemeroi’ (sixth parters) who gave
a sixth of their produce to an overlord.
This was abolished and they became
absolute owners of their land. However,
Solon did introduce changes to limit the
social impact of debt. Specifically, men
enslaved for debt were freed and it was
no longer legal to enslave someone on
these grounds.
The commercial environment at Athens
the commercial growth of olives for trade.
This reform also yielded social benefits
since it kept an affordable food supply at
home.
How did he organise the Athenian
citizens and what was the political
impact?
Solon categorised the people of Athens into
four property classes, which undermined
the power of noble families where political
influence was hereditary. The four classes
were the Pentakosiomedimoi (who
owned property to yield 500 medimnoi
at least), the Hippeis (generally cavalry
when required), the Zeugetai (whose
land yielded 200-300 medimnoi)and the
Thetes (lowest of four property classes).
The two higher classes held the major
political offices while the zeugetai
were eligible for minor offices. Thetes
were permitted to attend the assembly
(ekklesia) and the law court (Eliaia). It
is also possible that Solon incorporated
allotment to the election of archons and
he probably created a new council of 400
to prepare business for the assembly.
What was the nature of Solon’s
legislation?
The evidence we have for Solon’s
legislation suggests an emphasis on
social cohesion. In the area of family law,
orphaned heiresses did not enter their
husband’s family but were to produce
heirs for their own family, and those who
did not have heirs were able to adopt a man
to be heir under certain conditions. There
was a moral element to the legislation
since there were punishments for a lack
of chastity in women, as there were for
the procurement and prostitution of
boys, and a further law against excessive
display at funerals. Moreover, theft was
harshly punished if in the dark or from a
public place such as a market.
What do we know about Solon as a poet?
Unfortunately, Solon’s poetry only exists
in fragments. It appears to be focused on
his reforms and is rather moralising in
tone. Examples include:
Laws I wrote alike for nobleman and
commoner, awarding straight justice to
everybody. (24.18)
To the demos I have given such honour as
seems sufficient, neither taking away nor
granting them more. For those who had
power and were great in riches, I equally
cared that they should suffer nothing
wrong. Thus, I stood holding my strong
shield over both, and I did not allow
either to prevail against justice. (5.1ff)
(Translation by Eherenberg)
What does Herodotus tell us about him?
The fifth century (BCE) historian,
Herodotus, tells us that, during his ten
years of travelling after implementing his
reforms, Solon arrived in Sardis, the major
city of Lydia, where he met King Croesus.
Croesus asked him whom he considered
to the happiest of men, to which Solon
replied an Athenian called Tellus, who
had sons, all of whom had surviving
children. Tellus fought for Athens, died
in battle and had a glorious death. As a
result, he was honoured with a public
funeral. Solon would not even agree
that Croesus was the second happiest
person, instead citing two Argive young
men who dragged their mother’s cart to
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