| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
He was the son of Execestides . He first worked as a foreign trader, and his abilities as a poet had him lauded as one of the Seven Sages of Greece.
In the mid 590s BC he worked to promote renewed conflict against Cirrha over Salamis. In 594 BC he was made archon of Attica, in order to subdue the civil disorder that was rampant there. He introduced a set of ordinances, seisachtheia, that did much to improve conditions. His ordinances were such a success that he was given the task of rewriting the constitution, creating what was later called the Solonian Constitution.
He repealed most of the laws of Draco; introduced a timokratia, an oligarchy with a sliding scale of rightFor the direction right see left and right or starboard. For the political trend or ideology, see Right wing. The following article discusses the notion of rights in matters of philosophy and Law. At its most fundamental, a right is a claim, on other perss determined by propertyThis page deals with property as ownership rights. For information about property in the performing arts, see prop. For information about properties in philosophy, see property (philosophy Within the law, property is a general legal category for rights of, dividing the population into four classesA social class is, at its most basic, a group of people that have similar social status. The relative importance and definition of membership in a particular class differs greatly over time and between societies, particularly in societies having a legal d:
He introduced the trial by jury ; military obligations were codified based on class; the Council of the Four Hundred (or BouleThe term boule can also be used to describe a large block of synthetically produced crystal material. In the cities poleis of ancient Greece, the boule was a council of citizens appointed to run daily affairs of the city. Originally a council of nobles ad) and the AreopagusThe Areopagus or Areios Pagos is the 'Hill of Ares', north-west of the Acropolis, which in classical times functioned as the chief homicide court of Athens. Ares was supposed to have been tried here by the Gods for the murder of Poseidon's son Alirrothios were established as the main consultative and administrative bodies; introduced many new laws, especially those covering debtDebt is that which is owed. A person who owes debt is called a debtor . People or organisations often enter into agreements to borrow something. Both parties must agree on some standard of deferred payment, most usually a sum of money denominated as units and taxation; remodelled the calendar; and regulated weights and measures. His laws were written onto special wooden cylinders and placed in the Acropolis.
Solon wrote the laws as a compromise between oligarchy and democracy, tailored to what the people would accept.
After having his constitution accepted he left Athens for over ten years, travelling to Egypt, Cyprus and Lydia. According to the historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus, in Lydia he offended Croesus when he was asked "Who is the happiest man you have ever seen?", instead of complementing the king he said "I can speak of no one as happy until they are dead". It was recalling this story which, again according to Herodotus, saved Croesus from execution when his kingdom was overcome by Cyrus's invading Persians.
Solon returned to Athens in the 550s BC during the reign of the tyrant Pisistratus. The tyrant retained some of the constitution and showed Solon considerable respect. Solon died soon afterwards.
Four places in the United States bear the name of Solon, probably in honor of the above figure:
Ancient Athenians Gay, lesbian or bisexual people Legislators