Solon

Hellenic Sage

Solon is the father of Law as we know it and synonymous with the foundation of proper legal practice. He was one of the most important legislators and reformers of Athens; his life and works led to legal and cultural reforms that radically changed the political, economic and social structure of that city state.

He is known as a statesman who laid the foundations of Athenian democracy and made important arrangements to ensure justice and social balance. Solon's story tells the story of the transformation from an economic system based on bondage to a society where the first seeds of democracy were sown.

ARISTOCRATIC SCION

He was born into an aristocratic dynasty called the Pisistratids, but it is thought that the branch he belonged to was not very wealthy. One of his relatives was Pisistratus, a powerful political figure who later became infamous as a tyrant. However, at the time of the youth of the would-be tyrant, Solon adored Pisistratus and was his mentor.

Coming from the established rulers of Athens, Solon was brought up among the traditional nobility, yet he came to have more democratic values and tastes. Despite his aristocratic background, Solon is known for his reforms that focused on improving the welfare of the people and ensuring justice in social affairs. Solon is known to have been an educated young man and gained wealth through trade, a rather untraditional pursuit for an aristocrat that marked him out with some dubious distinction.

Solon also achieved an illustrious military career. He was the leader of the Athenian army, presiding over the forces during the major war against Megara over the island of Salamis. A significant slew of victories during this war can be attributed to the valor of the leader. At one point, after the disastrous defeat at [blah], it was almost made a capital offense to mention the name of Salamis in all discursive contexts.

The young commander was affronted by this, being an advocate of freedom of speech and seeing this as cowardice. Mustering his poetical skills, he made a grand speech to inspire his soldiers to fight for the island for the honor of Athena. The valiance of this speech led the shocked leaders of Athens to rescind the law, as they placed their trust in his judgements.

During his time as a commander, Solon came to certain realizations. Time-serving amongst the ranks of soldiers possessed him to observe class problems in Athenian society, which had led to longstanding problems in an army where class cohesion was not as solid as it could be. Health issues and other factors amongst the lower orders posed a threat. Even at this time, the city state was heavily reliant on its navy to solve problems, a problem he warned could put Athens’ freedom in danger.

Solon, however, could be vicious to the adversaries of Athens, often coming up with schemes to ruin the enemies of the great city. In these endeavors, he showed he was after all a Pisistratid:

At the end of the conflict, the powerful archons of Sparta negotiated and presided over the decision of whether to award Salamis to Megara or Athens, which was partially based on weighing up historical evidence of settlement on the empty island by each city. Solon’s valiance as a poet and rhetorical speaker, as well as his intense bravery and sincerity, swayed the stony-faced Spartans into giving control of the island to Athens.

Solon was also famous as a poet and writer. In his poetical treatises about moral values, justice and political reform, it contains instructions that prioritize the whole welfare and order of society. His esteemed talent as a poet helped him both in his political career and in his public reputation as a business magnate. In his poems, he gave strong messages to the Athenians about the type of society he wished to construct.

These creative works are important for understanding the thinking behind Solon's reforms because his writings as a poet reflect their ideological underpinnings. For example, he criticized the gap between the rich and the other segments of society; the expressions in his poetry show the steps he took to enforce meaningful parities.

He was also known to have engaged in many occult rites, such as the Delphic Mystery of Apollo. Many of the facets of his life related to his worship of Azazel, whose Ethics echo much of the personal character and ambitions of Solon as a great legislator and philanthropist.

INTERVENTION IN ATHENS

His political career began at a time when Athens was experiencing internal turmoil and serious social problems due to stratifications of wealth and the nature of the creditor/debtor relationship prevalent in society at the time.

At that time, Athens was ruled by aristocrats and the rich. Many of the people particularly in Northern Attica were being thrown into poverty, and farmers also chafed at the amount of debts they had thrust upon them. Many citizens from this region, critical to defending Athens against Sparta and Megara, had fallen into slavery due to debts and had lost their land, meaning they were held in bondage to creditors who in theory were meant to protect their interests but in reality often abused them. This was causing serious polarization and internal unrest in Athenian society, which was on the brink of a major economic and social crisis.

This situation was not aided by the Laws of Drakon that held sway for many years in Athens, which were notoriously severe (from these laws, we have the English word ‘draconian’), setting many people to end up as debtors on the flimsiest of pretexts, not even just the poor. Large portions of Athenian society resented these laws and regarded them as intrusive, unjust and destructive.

Regardless, the exploitation of the poor by the aristocrats and the prevalence of debt bondage had reached the point of revolt in Northern Attica. It seemed as if Athenian society was about to be dragged into a great civil war. At this stage, both the rich and the poor commissioned Solon to solve the problem before their eyes. It was believed from his high-mindedness and participation in all facets of society that he would be a fair and balanced legislator who would protect the rights of all.

REFORMS AND LAWS

Solon was elected as archon (chief judge) to solve these social and economic problems in Athens. He immediately took to the task of making balanced adjustment that would satisfy all segments of society and give a distinct character to the Athenian state. Quickly, his reforms led to radical changes in the political and social structure of Athens.

The aim of Solon was to create a distinctive character in Athens to that of other Greek states without destabilizing the situation. While he admired Lycurgus’ reforms, he held an abhorrence of the system of the helots and how parity among the Spartans had been achieved due to their subjugation. Therefore, Solon set about leaving the affairs of the magistracy to the upper classes, while enhancing participation in society for others.

In concordance with the character of Azazel, Solon thought deeply about balance, growth, and the factors that could lead to prosperity in the life of a citizen. War-like societies of the time such as Sparta and Thebes were seen as limited by him, characterized by an oligarchial and totalizing system that left little room for individual initiative. Solon believed in an idea of Athens where culture, leisure, science, exercise of religion and other facets of expressing citizenship could blossom, as long as certain liberties were enshrined and the interests of all classes were negotiated. Of course, this still came with a condition, a condition where male citizens paid their proper dues in military service.

1. SEISACHTHEIA

   One of Solon's most famous reforms is the debt relief law called Seisachtheia, or “removal of burden ordinance”. With this reform, he decreed that Athenians could not be slaves, unless they were criminals and deemed appropriate for servitude as a punishment. This was one of the measures that ensured for centuries that the word ‘Athenian’ was synonymous with freedom.

   Therefore, he freed Athenians who had become slaves due to debt bondage, and he recalled as many Athenian slaves from foreign states as possible. It also allowed those who had lost their land to regain possession of it. Solon also abolished forms of serfdom that had recently appeared in Attica. This reform meant an end to debt slavery and the enhancement of debt relief for the poor. To cultivate patriotisim, Solon also banned the pledging of land for debt.

   Solonian enhancements in this area brought great relief to society and created an expansionist ethos in Athens, similar to how anti-slavery efforts galvanized the British many years later.

2. BALANCE OF CLASSES

   Solon divided society into four classes to balance political power in Athens. These classes were based on the economic power and income of the citizens:

   • Pentakosiomedimnoi: The richest class, large landowners.
   • Hippeis: Rich farmers, those who could afford to serve as horsemen in war, hence the Knights of Athenian society.
   • Zeugitai: Middle-class farmers, those who typically served as infantry soldiers.
   • Thetes: The poorest class, landless peasants and laborers.

   To balance these classes, that possessed the character of the castes still present in Hindu lands today, Solon also made political participation class-based. The richest class could run for the highest government posts, but lower classes could also play a certain role in politics. Thus, Solon tried to ensure that not only the rich but also the wider societal elements related to the basic nature of providing for Athens participated in governance.

3. Strengthening the People's Council and The Courts
   
   

   Solon, Francisco Hayez

   The archon strengthened the popular assembly and the courts to establish a more democratic structure in Athens. The People's Assembly (Ekklesia) became a body that all male citizens could attend and had a say in important state matters such as declaring war on other states. This led to increased political participation of the people.

   Solon also gave the people a direct say in the justice system by establishing popular courts called Heliaia which could oppose the decisions of the Areopagus, a council of nine typically made up of Athens most foremost citizens; additionally, he gave citizens the right to sue anyone, including the rulers of the state. Citizens could now oversee the implementation of the laws and participate in the trials.

4. NEW CONSTITUTION

   Solon revised the laws in force in Athens and drafted a new constitution. This constitution had a structure that balanced the rights of all classes in Athens according to the weight of their role. Solon's reform aimed to achieve justice in Athens. The laws were designed to protect everyone's interests, and Solon forbade them to be changed for ten years to ensure that they would remain valid for a long time.

5. ECONOMIC REFORMS

   Solon's reforms were not limited to the political and social spheres; economic reforms also played an important role. He took various measures to revitalize Athens' trade and agricultural economy. For example, Athenian citizens were banned from exporting agricultural products except olive oil. This was intended to strengthen Athens' foreign trade protecting the domestic supply of agricultural products.

   In addition, craftsmanship and trade reforms were encouraged to improve the economic welfare of the poor and to enable them to have their own ways of living.

LATER YEARS

After implementing his reforms, Solon announced that he would stay away from Athens for ten years in order to observe the reforms taking hold. He also wished to be unavailable to be threatened or bribed into altering any aspect. During this time, Solon visited various countries, such as Egypt where he met the Pharaoh Amasis II, and he engaged in trading once more. When he returned home after leaving Athens, he did not see his reforms fully implemented.

Despite Solon's reforms, internal strife continued in Athens and the tyranny of Peisistratos began. Instead of cooperating on these reforms, all classes found their personal interests to be thwarted; they were unable to see the general benefit of the reforms to Athens itself, which was rapidly growing in power and influence.

When Solon returned to Athens in his old age, he had also found that his reforms had not been fully implemented. He moved against Peisistratos abuse of powers, protesting until the end and creating an impassé between the two to tell the populace to resist whatever he did. Regardless, ultimately out of respect, Peisistratos remained faithful to the general outlines of Solon's laws and preserved most of his reforms, which persisted in Athens until the end of its’ independence. During this period, he remained in the background in the city state, but continued to be held as a sage whose ideas and advice were sought by those in need.

Although the exact year of Solon's death is not known, it is estimated that he died around 558 BC. Even after his death, the Athenian people held him in high esteem and Solon was considered a cornerstone in the development of Athenian democracy. His reforms laid the foundation for the democratic system that followed the tyranny of Peisistratos and became one of the most important symbols of justice, law and social order in Athens for centuries.

Solon became so legendary that many of his sayings were directly inscribed into the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY

His laws and reforms formed the cornerstones of Athenian democracy, and these reforms continued to have an impact on the Greek world and the world at large for centuries. Solon, on the one hand, limited the power of the aristocratic class and granted political rights to a wider mass of people, while on the other hand, he attached great importance to the preservation of social balance. Therefore, his reforms were neither fully democratic nor aristocratic. However, this balance paved the way for the preservation of social peace and the development of a democratic structure in Athens.

Solon laid the foundations of Athenian democracy, especially by strengthening the popular assembly and the courts. His reforms were further developed centuries later by Kleisthenes and Pericles, and a full democratic system was established in Athens. This process initiated by Solon was later taken as an example by many city-states in the Greek world.

RULE OF LAW

His reforms were based on the rule of law and the provision of justice. His adjustments to the legal system aimed to ensure both the participation of the people in governance and the equal distribution of justice. This served as a model for the developing judicial system of Athens. Eventually, Solon's understanding of justice and equality became an important reference point in the philosophy of law in later periods.

In the all-important Athenian prytaneia where important individuals assembled, his laws were inscribed on cylinders known as axons.

Being wide in scope and understanding, his ideas and reforms had great influence beyond the Greek world. The Roman Empire and later European legal systems were influenced by Solon's laws. In addition, his democratic principles played an important role in the development of modern legal and political philosophy.

Solon's name has been revered in Athens and throughout the Greek world for centuries. Athenians saw him as a symbol of justice, wisdom and balanced government. His reforms are considered to be the first step in the processes that ushered in the golden age of Athens and have been emulated by many philosophers, thinkers and legislators throughout history.

He is honored with statues in Athens and his name is among the most important leaders in Greek history. His legacy is centered around the principles of democratic values, social justice and the rule of law, which have left a lasting mark on both Ancient Greek and world history thereafter.

Solon's story is one of the best examples of how a statesman can influence society not only in his own time but also in the future. His reforms were based on justice and social balance and reshaped the political and social structure of Athens, but also set a precedent for all of European civilization and beyond. For this reason, Solon continues to be remembered as one of the most important and respected figures in Athenian history.