Solon Facts & Worksheets

One of the Seven Wise Men of Greece, along with Pittacus of Mytilene, Thales of Miletus, Bias of Priene, Cleobulus of Lindos, and Chilon of Sparta, was the Attic statesman Solon (d. c. 530 BCE–d. c. 560 BCE). The system of exclusive aristocratic power over the government was ended by Solon, who also instituted a system of affluent control and a new, more compassionate legal code. He is regarded as a significant character from classical antiquity.

See the fact file below for more information about Solon, or you can download our 26-page Solon worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

SOLON ERA’S

• Greek historians and biographers had not yet begun to write during Solon’s lifetime. 
• His legal code, oral tradition, inference from established institutions, and his poetry, of which the 300 or so lines that have been preserved via citation likely constitute just a small percentage, were the primary sources used to piece together descriptions of his life and deeds until the 5th century.
• While there are some legendary-sounding details in the story, overall, it seems to have some solid elements. 
• Solon was from a noble family but had modest money. His trips and economic measurements point to the possibility that he was a trader, as legend holds. 
• He rose to prominence for the first time around 600 BCE when the Athenians were discouraged over their lackluster performance in a conflict with Megara’s neighbors over control of the island of Salamis. 
• Solon persuaded the Athenians to renew the war, which they ultimately won, by publicly performing a song that elevated the conflict to a matter of national honor and exhorted them to “arise and come to Salamis, to win that fair island and undo our shame.” 
•  In other respects, the early sixth century was also a difficult period for the Athenians. 
• The eupatridae, a born aristocracy who controlled the government, owned the best land, and were divided into competing groups, ruled over society. 
• They quickly drove the smaller farmers into debt, and when they couldn’t pay, they treated them like serfs on their own land and, in the worst situations, sold them into slavery. 
• Middling farmers, artisans, and merchants who belonged to the intermediate classes were angry over being shut out of the political system.
• Had it not been for Solon, whom Athenians of all classes went to in the hopes of finding a generally satisfying solution to their difficulties, these social, economic, and political issues very well could have resulted in a revolution and subsequent tyranny, as they had in other Greek nations. 
• His response was reform rather than revolution because he supported moderation and an ordered society where each class had its proper place and duty.

ECONOMIC REFORMS

• About 594 BCE, Solon had already served as archon, or annual head ruler. He was granted complete authority as a reformer and lawmaker perhaps twenty years later. 
• His top priority was to ease the immediate suffering brought on by debt. Presumably, he released all the enslaved citizens by fiat and redeemed all the forfeited land.  
• Solon describes this action—commonly referred to as the “shaking off of burdens”—in one of his poems: 

“These events were best witnessed by the black ground, which I removed the identifying stones—likely indicators of the farmers’ debt—that were scattered throughout its surface, setting the enslaved woman free. And I brought back to Athens a great number of people who had been sold, either justly or unjustly, or who had run away from debt, journeying far and away from their native dialect, the Attic; I also rescued many who had endured abhorrent slavery here and shuddered at the slightest provocation from their masters. “

• Additionally, he outlawed going forward any loans secured by the borrower’s person. However, he declined to go as far as the impoverished had asked, which was to divide up the land. 
• Instead, he enacted laws intended to boost overall prosperity and provide alternative livelihoods for those unable to support themselves through farming. 
• Examples of these laws included encouraging trades and professions, outlawing the export of produce other than olive oil (because so much grain had been exported that there was not enough left to feed the Attican population), minting native Attican coinage on a more suitable standard than the neighboring countries’ coins that had previously been in use and introducing new weights and measures.
• Archaeology confirms the effectiveness of these efforts with the quick diffusion of the new coinage and Athenian goods, especially pottery and olive oil, across the ancient world’s commerce. 
• Even though it was never completely eradicated, poverty in Attica was never the glaring scourge that it had been prior to Solon’s reforms.

POLITICAL REFORMS

• The eupatridae’s monopoly was ended by Solon’s new political constitution, which replaced it with a government run by the wealthy people. 
• He started a yearly income census, which was based mostly on measurements of the main agricultural products—wine, oil, and grain—and classified the populace into four income categories. (Those who received income in other forms, such as cash, had to have been graded according to an equivalents system.)  
• Political privilege was now distributed based only on these divisions and not on a person’s place of birth. 
• Every citizen had the right to attend the general assembly (Ecclesia), which had the authority to choose officials, enact laws and decrees, and hear appeals of the most significant court rulings. The Ecclesia had the capacity to become the sovereign body. 
• Everybody except the poorest may serve for a year at a period on a newly formed Council of Four Hundred, whose job it was to set agenda items for the Assembly. 
• The highest government positions were only open to members of the highest two income brackets. Thus, the future democracy’s foundations were established. 
• However, the ancient Council of the Hill of Ares (Areopagus) retained a strong conservative element, and the populace, for a very long time, favored giving the most important seats to members of the old aristocratic families.

CODE LAWS OF SCHOOLS

• His new set of regulations was Solon’s third major contribution to the future prosperity of Athens. Approximately 621 BCE, the Draco code, the first written code in Athens, remained in effect. 
• The name “draconian” comes from the startling severity of Draco’s regulations, which were allegedly written in blood rather than ink. 
• On the civil side, they allowed debtors to be sold into slavery, and the penalty for nearly all crimes appears to have been death. Athenian law was made far more compassionate by Solon, who changed all the laws but the one against homicide. 
• Even though it was expanded upon and changed, his code served as the basis for Athens’ statute law until the end of the fifth century, when a new codification included some of its provisions.

RESPONSE TO SOLON’S REFORMS

• After Solon finished his assignment, grievances were lodged from every direction. He’d gratified none in trying to satisfy all. 
• The poor had hoped that he would divide all the land in equal shares and, if needed, establish himself as a tyrant in order to enforce the redistribution, while the nobles had hoped that he would just make minor adjustments. 
• However, despite his passion for liberty, justice, and humanity, Solon was not an egalitarian nor did he aspire to be an absolute ruler. 
• Even though they were unhappy, the Athenians refused to back down from their pledge to accept Solon’s decisions, which were placed on spinning wooden tablets and given a hundred years of validity. 
• Solon vowed not to return for ten years and embarked on a series of excursions in order to avoid having to defend and explain them further.

LATER YEARS

• Solon traveled to several locations, including Egypt and Cyprus. His poems provide evidence of those visits. 
• Less plausible (because of chronological issues) is the well-known meeting with the extraordinarily wealthy Croesus, the king of Lydia, who, according to legend, learned from Solon that material prosperity and position do not guarantee happiness and that, while they were still alive, fate might turn around everyone’s luck. 
• Upon his return to Athens, Solon saw that the populace was split up into several regional groups, each led by a notable noble. 
• Of these, Solon suspected his buddy Peisistratus, the commander of northeastern Attica and a general in the last war for Salamis, was plotting to turn into a dictator. 
• The grave warnings of the elderly statesman were neglected, even written off as the ramblings of a lunatic. 
• In response, he said, “It won’t take long for the citizens to realize how insane I am. Truth will eventually find its way into our lives.” 
• He was soon validated when Peisistratus turned into a dictator around 560 BCE. At this time, too, it appears that Solon did not live to witness his swift ejection.

REPUTATION

• The classic Greek virtue of moderation was personified by Solon. He gave his fellow citizens a compassionate code of rules and a balanced constitution, ending the harshest aspects of poverty in Attica. 
• In addition, Solon was the city of Athens’s first poet and one who genuinely belonged there. 
• His poetry was the means by which he used statesmanship to caution, challenge, counsel, and galvanize the populace to action. 
• The Greeks initially compiled a list of the Seven Wise Men, who had been influential both politically and intellectually in the sixth century, presumably before the end of the fifth century. 
• Later, writers enlarged the list to 10 and even 17 in order to accommodate competing claimants because the original list, which was approved by the Greek philosopher Plato, did not satisfy them. 
• Nonetheless, four names were present in each version and were not contested. One of them belonged to Solon of Athens, demonstrating the enduring reverence people had for his legacy.

Solon Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Solon across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Solon. The system of exclusive aristocratic power over the government was ended by Solon, who also instituted a system of affluent control and a new, more compassionate legal code. He is regarded as a significant character from classical antiquity.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Solon Facts
2. Character Profile
3. Shaping Society
4. Comparative Analysis
5. Social Classes
6. Ethical Dilemmas
7. Freedom from Bondage
8. Legendary Lawmaker
9. Poetic Vision
10. Beyond Athens
11. Navigate Solon’s Era

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Solon and why is he significant in ancient Greek history?

Solon was an Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet who lived in the 6th century BCE. He is significant for his efforts to legislate against political, economic, and moral decline in archaic Athens. Solon’s reforms laid the groundwork for the development of Athenian democracy. He is often credited with ending the practice of debt slavery and establishing a more equitable legal framework.

What were some of the key reforms implemented by Solon?

Some of Solon’s key reforms included:

• Seisachtheia (Shaking off of burdens): This law relieved debtors by cancelling existing debts and forbidding the practice of enslaving Athenians for debt.
• Economic reforms: Solon encouraged trade and industry by standardizing weights and measures and promoting the cultivation of olive trees.
• Political reforms: He reorganized the political structure by creating a new class system based on wealth rather than birth, allowing more citizens to participate in government.
• Legal reforms: Solon introduced the right of appeal to a jury and established the concept of equality before the law.

How did Solon address the issue of debt and slavery in Athens?

Solon addressed the issue of debt and slavery through his seisachtheia reform, which abolished existing debts and prohibited the practice of using oneself or one’s family members as collateral for loans. This reform freed many Athenians who had been enslaved due to debt and prevented future enslavement for financial reasons, significantly improving the lives of the poor and contributing to social stability.

What was the impact of Solon’s reforms on the Athenian political system?

Solon’s reforms had a profound impact on the Athenian political system by introducing a more inclusive and democratic structure. By creating a new class system based on wealth, he allowed a broader segment of the population to participate in governance. This included the creation of the Council of Four Hundred, which broadened political representation. Solon’s emphasis on legal equality and the right of appeal also promoted a more just and accountable government.

How did Solon’s economic policies influence Athenian society?

Solon’s economic policies, such as the standardization of weights and measures and the promotion of olive cultivation, aimed to stimulate trade and economic growth. By encouraging diversification in agriculture and supporting industry and commerce, Solon helped to stabilize and expand the Athenian economy. These measures increased prosperity and helped to reduce the economic disparity between the rich and the poor, contributing to a more balanced and cohesive society.

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