Solon
By D zhiglov
When was he active?
Solon was born in 638 BC and died in 599 BC, he was elected chief magistrate in 594 BC and was still active in 592 BC. In this time he was a magistrate in the greek city-state of Athens. He died at an old age
What did he do?
He was entrusted with full legislative powers. As he had done to debt, he stopped on where people where born in politics. Henceforth all Athenians were classified by income into four groups. Liability for tax and military service and eligibility for office were defined in terms of the new classification. For example, the lowest group was the thetes they paid no tax, had no equipment, and not eligible for any office, whereas the next lowest--that of the zeugitae paid tax at the lowest rate, produced armor, and was eligible for minor offices. The effect in the existing constitution was the Areopagus Council, recruited from former magistrates, who held office for life. Solon introduced a second house, the Council of Four Hundred, nominated by Solon for their liberal and progressive views. He regarded the two councils as stabilizers. In particular, the Assembly was stopped from considering any motion on which the Council of Four Hundred had not already reported its own recommendation. The snap decisions were ruled out.
Politics and justice were closely related in ancient society. Solon helped the poor more in justice than in politics. Every citizen was to have the right of appeal against the edict of a magistrate. Every citizen could prosecute at law. And every citizen was to be eligible to sit on a new court of state, the Heliaea, or People's Court, before which appeals were heard (the actual panel for each case being selected by lot). He also drew up a new code of laws, designed to protect the underprivileged and the poor.
Having established the basic equalities on which a democratic society is founded, Solon went into voluntary exile for 10 years.
Pictures of Solon
Who Was He?
Who was Solon?
Solon was a chief magistrate in Athens, he was elected in 595 B.C he was also the founder of democracy, he also was a politician and a statesman.
Where did he live?
He lived from 638 BC in Athens, Greece
and died in 559 BC, he lived in Athens Greece, and first started democracy there
Athenian Democracy - Solon and Cleisthenes