SO'LON, the most famous of all the ancient Greek lawgivers, was a native of Athens (b. about 638 n.c.), and belonged to one of the most distinguished families of Attica. His father, Execestides, having seriously impaired his income by improvidence, Solon was obliged, while still young. to embark in trade. At first, however, Solon comes before us as an amatory pact. His earliest appearance in the field of politics was occa sioned by the contest between Athens and Megara for 'the possession of Salamis. By force of artifice, Solon revived the n%artial spirit of his countrymen, which had sunk under the effect of repeated disasters, obtained command of a body of volunteers, and conquered the island (circa 596 B. c.), in which, along with others, he obtained a grant of land. Henceforth his public career is conspicuously noble and honorable. He figures as a wise and unselfish patriot, seeking earnestly, and not in vain, to compose the dis tractions, partly social and partly political, that rent has native city. The Athenians generally had thorough confidence in his integrity; and in 594 B. was chosen archon or chief magistrate, and received unlimited permission to act as he Saw best for the good of the state. In short, to borrow a phrase from Roman history, he was invested with dictatorial power. The nature and extent of the Solonian legislation has been the sub ject of much criticism in modern times, and Mr. Grote, in particular, has made it very clear that the "later ancients" (Plutarch and LaSrtins), on whom we are obliged to rely for almost all our information about Solon, are full of confusions, misap prehensions, and contradictions, and that it became a habit among them to mythically attribute to the great Athenian every bit of wise legislation whose paternity they could not discover. .
In order to alleviate the wretchedness arising from the existing relations of debtor and creditor, which was no longer supportable. and was likely to create% social war, Solon proposed and carried a notable measure—the seisadathaia. or "disburdening ordi nance" (from seio, to "shake off," and achthos, a " burden" )—which received its name from its design—viz., to lighten the burden of debt that weighed down the thefts, or lower classes. How this was effected, is far from being correctly explained by Plutarch, and the reader who wishes to have the most rational solution of the mat ter must consult Grate's Ilestory of Greece (vol. iii.). From redressing. the grievances of a class, Solon proceeded, at the solicitations of his countrymen, to remodel the constitution; and here, too, the qualities that are popularly associated with his name shine out conspicuously. Abandoning the semi-civilized theory which regards the nobles as alone worthy of citizenship, and of the honors of public office in the state, be introduced' the timocratic,' or rather the plutocratic principle—classifying citizens according to their wealth or property; the effect of which was not to wrest alt power or dignity from the hands of the eapat•ithe, or well-born class, but only to give a portion of it to others who might be as wealthy, and therefore. presumably, as intelligent and cultivated as •they. Such a
reform lets been compared to that previously effected by Servius Tullius in the constitu tion of ancient Rome; and there is at least a striking resemblance in the method, if not in the design, of the two reforms. See HOME. Solon distributed the citizens into four classes. The first embraced all those whose yearly income reached 500 medituni; the second, those of between :300 and 500 medimni ; the third, those of between 800 and 200 medinuti, and the fourth, those whose income fell below- 200 inedimni. The first three classes were liable to clued taxation; the fourth not ; but all were liable to indirect taxa tion. With regard to the bas‘e, or deliberative assembly of four hundred, it would seem that Solon left it the strictly aristocratical body that lie found it. Its power, however, was practically limited by a new eseisttia, or assembly of the four elases, whose ratifica tion was necessary to all originating in the taste, or "upper house." On the other hand, the eccloda itself could originate nothing, and thus the attic aristocracy and the attic plebs could mutually cheek each other's assumptions. The part of Solon's legislation relating to the industrial pursuits of the citizens appears to have been as excellent and well considered as the rest, but the number of his special enactments is so great that we cannot afford space to mention them. It is enough to state that they embraced almost every subject of social bnportance; and the best testimony to their value lies in the fact, that when Peisistratos violently overthrew the political constitu tion established by his kinsman, he allowed his social legislation to stand. Sec Prsts TRATUS.
The story of Solon's leaving Athens for ten years, after he bad completed his labors as a lawgiver, and traveling into foreign countries, may be, and probably is historical, but the details are untrustworthy; and in particular, the celebrated incident of his interview with Crcestis will not suit the requirements of chronology, and must be relegated to the domain of historic myths. During his absence, the old dissensions among the Athenians broke out, and when he returned, Solon struggled in vain to repress them. A strong hand, as well as a wise head, was needed, and the conspiracy of Peisistratos was quite as much one against anarchy as against the constitution. After Solon's defeat, he with drew into private life, but occasionally assisted with his advice his bold, ambitious, and able kinsman, who had so effectively crushed the Athenian " disorderlies" of all parties. The date of his death is uncertain.