Solon of Ancient Greece Speech

Solon's Reforms

“The city stood on the brink of revolution, and it seemed as if the only way to put a stop to its continual disorders was to set up a tyranny.” (Adams, J. 2001) Thus wrote Plutarch of the time preceding my ascent to power in Athens. It was I Solon who, in the year that would come to be known as 594 BC, “was entrusted with special powers to revise the political, social, and economic structure of Athens.” (Holoka, J. 1995) It was I who averted the deepening crisis of the factional conflict between both rich and poor. For, as I recall writing in one of my many poems: “If someone other than I had gotten this power, a foolish man, a greedy man, he would not have kept the ordinary people under control.” (Ohio University. 2008) The beneficial effects of my great work here in Athens were recorded by three men, whom I consider to be primary sources on my life’s work. They lived relatively close to the era of my reforms and would have been able to access sources concerning my life that were available at the time. These men are Aristotle, Plutarch and Diogenes Laertius, whose writings I shall refer to frequently throughout my speech. For the reason why I have called you all here to the ecclesia my friends, is to remind you before I depart, that it was my reforms which reduced the conflict within our magnificent Polis, and set Athens along the path towards democracy. For, I can foresee that although my laws “did not establish a democracy as radical as what would follow, nevertheless [they] became the template for all future Athenian government.” (Blackwell, C. 2003) The democratic elements of my laws which reduced the conflict here in Athens include my economic, legal, social and political reforms, which I will be discussing here today.

The economic reforms that I, Solon devised, reduced conflict and paved the way for a more equal and democratic society in Athens. The historian Aristotle recorded how before my appointment as Archon: “The poorer classes, men, women, and children, were the serfs of the rich... the whole country was in the hands of a few persons, and if the tenants failed to pay their rent they were liable to be haled into slavery... many were in slavery to the few” (Stevenson, D. 2000) Aristotle may be regarded as a reliable source since he lived relatively close to the events he described, and the historical facts in his writings are consistent with those of other primary sources. This statement emphasises the awful conditions in Athens for the lower classes before my rise to power. There was very little democratic equality among the Athenians. As you can see behind me, this urn depicts people gathering the olive harvest in Athens - something which many Athenians, enslaved to the rich, were forced to do for their creditors. However, upon my appointment as Archon, I soon put a stop to this. As Plutarch recorded, my “first official act was to cancel existing debts and forbid the practice of taking the person of the debtor as loan guarantee.” (Holoka, J. 1995) However, there is a discrepancy between this account by Plutarch of my economic reforms and the account of Diogenes Laertius, who recorded that I “was the first person who introduced among the Athenians, an ordinance for the lowering of debts,” (Peithô's Web. 2008) not the abolition of them. Regardless of how history has remembered the precise details of my economic reform, which was known as the Seisachtheia, it nonetheless had the effect of improving the livelihoods of many Athenians. For, as Aristotle acknowledged, “the most democratic of Solon's enactments [was] the forbidding of loans on the person.” (Adams, J. 2001) After enacting this decree, I even went to the lengths of trying to free Athenians who had been enslaved outside of Athens. I referred to this policy in one of my poems, where I reflected: “I brought the people back to their homeland... those who suffered the shames of slavery.” (Ohio University. 2008) Although it may be argued in the future that my reforms “really didn't solve the economic crisis... [for] within a few years, Athens was collapsing in anarchy.” (Hooker, J. 1996) The purpose of my decrees was to create a more equal and democratic society in Athens, where no-one was enslaved. The effect of these reforms was the abolition of “the economic dependence of the Hectemoroi,” (Fotopoulos, T. 2004) who were the farmers of Athens. By freeing Hectemoroi from their dependence on their landlords, I reduced the conflict between the rich and poor and set Athens along the road towards equality and democracy. My legal reforms also reflected this personal objective.

As Archon of Athens, my reforms of the legal system led to more democratic laws, which resulted in a subsequent reduction in conflict amongst the Athenians. Originally it was the aristocrats who held the legal power in Athens, because of their hereditary role. However, under this oligarchic system of government “there was civil strife for a long time between the notables and the multitude,” (Adams, J. 2001) according to Aristotle. Although Aristotle’s views could be biased towards the democratic systems of governance, since later Greek historians tended to glorify the democratic system in which they lived, he is still a useful and relevant source. Aristotle recorded how I revised the Athenian laws so that they were more fair and democratic in regards to the people. He stated: “Solon drew up a constitution and enacted new laws; and the ordinances of Draco ceased to be used, with the exception of those relating to murder. These laws were inscribed on the wooden stands.” (Stevenson, D. 2000) This is consistent with the writings of the historian Plutarch, who also wrote that “Solon... revamped the law code of Draco... [which were said to have] been written in blood, not ink... all his laws... were written on axones that revolved on their rectangular frames.” (Holoka, J. 1995) These axones or wooden tablets were kept in public so that everyone was able to see the written laws of Athens. You can see an example of one behind me. Through my reforms of Athenian law, I laid the “foundations for Isonomia [or] (equality in law), as it is now known.”(Fotopoulos, T. 2004) I declared in my poems how “I... wrote laws that made justice fair for everybody,” (Ohio University. 2008) and how I had “set straight laws alike for lords and lowly.” (Holoka, J. 1995) Aristotle recorded how another one of my achievements was allowing “the possibility for anyone who wishes to sue over wrongdoings... [and] the right of appeal to the dicastery,” (Adams, J. 2001) which increased democracy by strengthening the power of the majority. This took the ultimate authority for interpreting the law from the Nine Archons and put “it in the hands of a more democratic body” (Blackwell, C. 2003) by allowing the Athenians the right to appeal to a jury of their peers. Although some of my laws have been criticized, as dispute arose about them since they were not drawn up in a simple and explicit fashion, as Aristotle speculated, I “deliberately made the laws indefinite, in order that the final decision be in the hands of the people.” (Stevenson, D. 2000) These legal reforms that I made set the foundations for the future democracy in Athens, and reduced the conflict between the social classes.

My social reforms amongst the Athenians reduced conflict and set the stage for the democratic reforms that would occur in the future. As Archon of Athens, I passed the “constitutional reforms that divided the Athenian subjects into four classes based on their annual agricultural production rather than birth.” (Kreis, S. 2000) An Athenian needed to be a member of the three upper orders in order to be eligible to run for public office. Nevertheless, as I stated in my poems, concerning my reformations: “I allowed neither group to bully the other unjustly.” (Ohio University. 2008) As Plutarch recorded, my intention was “to give the commoners an unprecedented share in the organs of government” (Holoka, J. 1995) Plutarch was renowned for going into intricate detail about his writing subjects, and while he did tend to glorify any democratic elements that he perceived in the history he recorded, he is still a useful and reliable source. Plutarch recorded how, while the Thetes were not allowed to hold public office, “they were eligible to attend the ecclesia... and to serve on juries.” (Holoka, J. 1995) My intent with these social reforms was to end the practice of only the individuals born into a select few families in Athens being able to advance. This set Athens along the path to democracy, for although it was not a pure democracy, as you needed to be wealthy to have a say, the social class that you were born no longer restricted how far you could advance both socially and politically in Athens. As testament to my reforms, Aristotle was to record how in Athens there was “a statue of Diphilus, bearing the inscription: The son of Diphilus, Athenion hight, did raised from the Thetes and became a knight.” (Stevenson, D. 2000) Although my reform of the Athenian social system has been criticised because it excluded all “people who did not own any productive land – women, children, slaves, resident aliens, artisans and merchants.” (Kreis, S. 2000) The purpose of this policy was to collapse the traditional monopoly that the aristocrats held on the higher offices in Athens merely because of birthright. With my constitutional reforms, “men from newer and less-established families could work their way up economically and achieve positions of political leadership.” (Kreis, S. 2000)

I prepared Athens for the democracy that would later characterise this city state through my political reforms which reduced conflict. As Aristotle was to record, until my ascent to the office of Archon “political relationships were in every respect oligarchical” There was no real political power since the real power existed within a “few influential families who controlled economic and military power.” (Fotopoulos, T. 2004) Conflict arose as a result of this unfair distribution of power, for as Aristotle recorded: the different “parties were ranged in hostile camps against one another.” (Stevenson, D. 2000) During that period the “right to be elected to the higher offices was monopolised... by the upper social and economic strata.” (Fotopoulos, T. 2004) I reformed the political system so that “the two wealthiest classes were allowed to serve on the Areopagus.” (Hooker, J. 1996) This council, as Aristotle described, was entrusted with “the duty of superintending the laws.” (Stevenson, D. 2000) I also established the council of four hundred, which served as a means to keep the power of the Areopagus in check. The only political rights that I allowed for the poorest class, the Thetes, was that they were allow to participate in an assembly which “voted on affairs brought to it by the council of four hundred, and even elected local magistrates.” (Hooker, J. 1996) I limited the office of Archon to the top three classes, and changed the system of election to one where the Athenians elected a short-list of candidates for the Archonship, from which “the Nine Archons were chosen by lot.” (Blackwell, C. 2003) My reforms made the Athenian political system more democratic than before, where it was the Council of the Areopagus, “which consisted of former Archons, [that] chose the Nine Archons each year,” (Blackwell, C. 2003) instead of the people. This was an unfair system that meant only aristocrats were able to hold the office of Archon. As Aristotle recorded: “The election to the various offices Solon enacted should be by lot, out of candidates selected by each of the tribes.” (Stevenson, D. 2000) While it has been argued that my political reforms were not democratic, as they merely substituted aristocracy for timocracy, I made the most fair reforms that I could without losing total support of the aristocrats. For while it was true that my reforms in Athens meant that public “office was still limited to citizens of a certain class, it was no longer limited to members of a few families.” (Blackwell, C. 2003) My reforms set the precedent for political democracy later on in Athens, and were more democratic than the traditional aristocratic ruled that had resulted in the tension amongst the social classes.

My laws set Athens along the path towards democracy, thereby reducing conflict within the Polis. As Archon, my economic, legal, social and political reforms each contributed to creating a more democratic society than the aristocratic form of rule which predated me. Aristotle would later describe me “the champion of the people,” (Stevenson, D. 2000) for I stood up for the ideals of both the rich and the poor. My friends, having instituted these reforms which have set Athens along the path towards democracy and equality, my work here is done. All I ask of you is that you obey these laws, unchanged for the next ten years, whilst I go into self-imposed exile abroad.

Annotated Bibliography 

Adams, J. (2001). Solon of Athens. Retrieved 2008
from Source
The author’s name was clearly visible on this website, along with a link to his email address. The author of this webpage was employed by Californian State University, which was the organisation hosting this webpage. The author lists a wide range of sources in his bibliography, and there is no evidence of any bias present. The author lists a variety of primary and secondary sources on Solon, and does not offer an opinion himself. This webpage is very current, as it was updated in 2006, and its web-links are frequently updated. This source provided excellent coverage of the topic, offering a variety of perspectives from multiple sources.

Blackwell, C. (2003). The Development of Athenian Democracy. Retrieved 2008
from Source
The author of this webpage had his name and email address clearly visible. This webpage took a balanced and unbiased look at Solon’s reforms, listing both the positive and negative consequences of his actions. The website is relatively recent, only being created five years ago so the information is still current and useful. The author had an extensive bibliography with numerous references towards his sources of information. The author provided a great deal of information and coverage of the topic.

Fotopoulos, T. (2004). Direct and Economic Democracy in Ancient Athens. Retrieved 2008
from Source
There author referenced a wide variety of sources which he included in his bibliography. His name was clearly visible. The purpose of this page was for education and the author provided a balanced and unbiased look at the topic. This website is only a few a couple of years old, so the information was still current and valid. The author of this webpage provide a great deal of information on the topic, which he adequately covered.

Holoka, J. (1995). Solon, Poet and Lawgiver. Retrieved 2008
from Source
This source provided an introduction to the topic of Solon’s reforms, which then hosted a variety of primary sources. Although the author’s name was not visible, this source was still accurate because the information on it was consistent with my other research and the author had provided a bibliography. Although this source is 13 years old, it is still relevant because it is based on primary sources which are timeless. The author provided a great deal of coverage on the topic of Solon, examining a variety of sources. The purpose of this source was for education, and no bias was evident in the author’s writing method.

Hooker, J. (1996). The Athenian Empire. Retrieved 2008
from Source
This author of this webpage had his name clearly displayed along with his contact information. I could tell that this was a reputable source, as it was posted by Washington State University. The author maintained a neutral tone throughout the page, and no bias was evident. He covered a great deal of relevant subject matter which I found extremely useful for my assignment. This website was updated in 1999 so it is not to old, and I found its information to still be current and up to date.

Kreis, S. (2000). The Athenian Origins of Direct Democracy. Retrieved 2008
from Source
This was a recent website that was only updated in 2006. The author’s name was clearly visible along with contact information. I found this source to have excellent coverage of the topic and I found it extremely useful. It was written in a neutral and unbiased manner for educational purposes. The information contained in this source was written for history lectures at the Florida Atlantic University, so I knew that it was from a reputable source.

Ohio University. (2008). Poems of Solon. Retrieved 2008
from Source
This website was posted by Ohio University for educational purposes. It contained a number of primary sources from the poems of Solon himself. This website is very current since it is an active university website. The university did not offer an opinion on the information that was presented, the source was purely primary evidence. I found this website to be very useful for my assignment and I made numerous references to it.

Stevenson, D. (2000). Classics Archive. Retrieved 2008
from Source
This webpage was devoted entirely to the primary source of information: The Athenian Constitution by Aristotle. It also named the man who had translated this source. The author’s name was clearly visible, as was his contact information. This webpage was updated in 2000 so it is still current, especially since it is a primary source of information. This website was started for educational purposes and contains a wide range of primary sources on a variety of topics. I found this source extremely useful for my assignment.

Peithô's Web. (2008). Life of Solon. Retrieved 2008
from Souce
This webpage contained the primary source on the life of Solon written by Diogenes Laertius. The source was referenced and even the name of the translator was referred to. This was a reputable educational sight which I found extremely useful for my assignment. I contained a variety of primary sources on ancient Greeks. The coverage of the source was excellent as the whole primary source was included in the website, which had been recently updated this year, so it had been checked for inconsistencies and the information on the site was current and up to date.