Annotated Bibliography Solon
Solon
Cassy Franson
1st Hour, Mr. Cole
Work Cited Page
1.) Gill, N.S. "About." About. (2012): n. page. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/solon/a/Solon.htm>.
2.) ".Greeka." .Greeka. n. page. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.greeka.com/greece-famous-people/solon.htm>.
3.) "Jona Lendering ." Jona Lendering . (2005): n. page. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.livius.org/so-st/solon/solon.html>.
4.) "Solon". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 28 Nov. 2012
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/553609/Solon>.
Solon was an Athenian Statesman and was known as one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece. He was born in 630 B.C. and passed away in 560 B.C. He was a noted poet who introduced a new more humane law code, ended exclusive aristocratic control of the government and substituted a system of control by the wealthy (Britannica/Solon). Solon was of noble descent but moderate means. He may have been a merchant as the tradition states and his travels and economic measures suggest. When Solon was alive in 6th century it was a troubled time for …show more content…
Athenians. This is because society was dominated by an aristocracy of birth called the eupatridae. They owned the best land, monopolized the government and split themselves into rival fractions. The poorer farmers were easily driven into debt and the intermediate classes of middling farmers, craftsmen, and merchants resented their exclusion from the government (Britannica/Solon). Many people turned to Solon for solutions to their problems and to receive satisfying answers. Solon believed in moderation and in an ordered society; which each class had its proper place and function, his solution was not revolution but reform. To start off, he proposed economic reforms as a reformer and legislator that were to relieve the distress caused by debt. By doing this, Solon redeemed all the forfeited land and freed all the enslaved citizens. He also passed measures designed to increase the general prosperity and to provide alternative occupations for those unable to live by farming (Jona Lendering). Even though poverty was not fully distinguished, it was never again in the crying evil that it had been before Solon’s reforms. Solon came up with a new political constitution that abolished the monopoly of the eupatridae and substituted for its government by the wealthy citizens.
He instituted a census of annual income, recognized primarily in measures of grain, wine, and oil, the principal products of the soil, and accordingly divided the citizens into four income groups. Therefore, political privilege was allowed on the basis of these divisions. All citizens were entitled to attend the general Assembly (Gill, N.S.) which became at least potentially the sovereign body, entitled to pass laws and decrees, elect officials, and hear appeals from the most important decisions of the courts. The people themselves for a while preferred to be able to trust the most important positions to members of the old aristocratic
families. The Athenian Statesman Solon had a third contribution to the future good of Athens and that was his new Code of Laws. He prohibited exporting any other product than olive oil and he gave benefits for foreign tradesmen to settle in Athens. This was what he set the foundation for the economic growth of Athens, which would also grant the city its cultural development and military power. He and Draco made death the penalty for almost all criminal offenses. His code, supplemented and modified, remained the foundation of Athenian state law until the end of the 5th century. Also, parts of it were embodied in the new codification made at that time. Once Solon had completed his task he received complaints from all sides. Sadly, in his attempt to satisfy all, he had satisfied none. The poor wanted him to distribute all the land in equal shares and make himself tyrant in order to enforce the redistribution if necessary. The nobles hoped that he would only make marginal changes. Solon was more concerned for freedom, justice, and humanity. He was no egalitarian, nor had he any ambition for autocratic power. Though discontented, the Athenians stood by their promise to accept Solon’s dispositions (Greeka). Solon had an urge to travel and get away from all of this commotion, so he decided to set off on a series of travels and not returning for ten years. A quote was taken from Solon by Diogenes Laertius in Lives of the Philosophers which had said, “Laws are like spiders’ webs: if some light or powerless thing falls into them, it is caught, but a bigger one can break through and get away.” (Jona Lendering). This represents the devotion and love Solon had for lawmaking and how understanding he was of the specific subject. He enjoyed helping people and felt proud of his wise personality that contributed so much to his economic and political reforms. His formation and establishment of democracy would mark the history of the city and influence the entire world in the centuries to come. Just like any other human being, Solon had some strengths and weaknesses. His strengths were his abilities to read and write allowing him to write very significant poems. These poems had a lot of impact on the people of his century because he knew exactly what he was talking about referring to his own code of laws and reforms. His weaknesses were his two friends Draco and Peisistratus because they took over some of his successes and belittled Solon’s ideas. Another weakness he had was, the city of Athens not appreciating his reforms and code of laws while they were set in stone (Britcanna/Solon). It made him upset so he left his people and went travelling hoping that when he came back they would appreciate what he had done. Once Solon returned, he found the citizens divided into regional factions headed by prominent nobles (Greeka). Of these prominent nobles, his friend Peisistratus seemed to Solon that he was planning to become a tyrant. The statesman’s urgent warnings were disregarded, even dismissed as quickly as possible. Solon was proven right; Peisistratus did become tyrant in 560 BC. With that, it shows how long Solon had been gone since there were some changes to the city of Athens. Overall, Solon put an end to the worst evils of poverty in Athens and provided his fellow citizens with a balanced constitution and a humane code of laws. Solon was also Athens’ first poet who truly belonged to Athens. As the middle, through which he warned, counseled the people, challenged, and urged them to action, his poetry was the key of his statesmanship. In the years to follow his death, Solon was remembered as a wise man with innovative ideas. He also made important constitutional changes that will be remembered and effective in the lives of the 5th and 6th centuries and our lives now in the present.
Cassy Franson
1st Hour, Mr. Cole
Work Cited Page
1.) Gill, N.S. "About." About. (2012): n. page. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/solon/a/Solon.htm>.
2.) ".Greeka." .Greeka. n. page. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.greeka.com/greece-famous-people/solon.htm>.
3.) "Jona Lendering ." Jona Lendering . (2005): n. page. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.livius.org/so-st/solon/solon.html>.
4.) "Solon". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 28 Nov. 2012
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/553609/Solon>.
Solon was an Athenian Statesman and was known as one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece. He was born in 630 B.C. and passed away in 560 B.C. He was a noted poet who introduced a new more humane law code, ended exclusive aristocratic control of the government and substituted a system of control by the wealthy (Britannica/Solon). Solon was of noble descent but moderate means. He may have been a merchant as the tradition states and his travels and economic measures suggest. When Solon was alive in 6th century it was a troubled time for …show more content…
Athenians. This is because society was dominated by an aristocracy of birth called the eupatridae. They owned the best land, monopolized the government and split themselves into rival fractions. The poorer farmers were easily driven into debt and the intermediate classes of middling farmers, craftsmen, and merchants resented their exclusion from the government (Britannica/Solon). Many people turned to Solon for solutions to their problems and to receive satisfying answers. Solon believed in moderation and in an ordered society; which each class had its proper place and function, his solution was not revolution but reform. To start off, he proposed economic reforms as a reformer and legislator that were to relieve the distress caused by debt. By doing this, Solon redeemed all the forfeited land and freed all the enslaved citizens. He also passed measures designed to increase the general prosperity and to provide alternative occupations for those unable to live by farming (Jona Lendering). Even though poverty was not fully distinguished, it was never again in the crying evil that it had been before Solon’s reforms. Solon came up with a new political constitution that abolished the monopoly of the eupatridae and substituted for its government by the wealthy citizens.
He instituted a census of annual income, recognized primarily in measures of grain, wine, and oil, the principal products of the soil, and accordingly divided the citizens into four income groups. Therefore, political privilege was allowed on the basis of these divisions. All citizens were entitled to attend the general Assembly (Gill, N.S.) which became at least potentially the sovereign body, entitled to pass laws and decrees, elect officials, and hear appeals from the most important decisions of the courts. The people themselves for a while preferred to be able to trust the most important positions to members of the old aristocratic
families. The Athenian Statesman Solon had a third contribution to the future good of Athens and that was his new Code of Laws. He prohibited exporting any other product than olive oil and he gave benefits for foreign tradesmen to settle in Athens. This was what he set the foundation for the economic growth of Athens, which would also grant the city its cultural development and military power. He and Draco made death the penalty for almost all criminal offenses. His code, supplemented and modified, remained the foundation of Athenian state law until the end of the 5th century. Also, parts of it were embodied in the new codification made at that time. Once Solon had completed his task he received complaints from all sides. Sadly, in his attempt to satisfy all, he had satisfied none. The poor wanted him to distribute all the land in equal shares and make himself tyrant in order to enforce the redistribution if necessary. The nobles hoped that he would only make marginal changes. Solon was more concerned for freedom, justice, and humanity. He was no egalitarian, nor had he any ambition for autocratic power. Though discontented, the Athenians stood by their promise to accept Solon’s dispositions (Greeka). Solon had an urge to travel and get away from all of this commotion, so he decided to set off on a series of travels and not returning for ten years. A quote was taken from Solon by Diogenes Laertius in Lives of the Philosophers which had said, “Laws are like spiders’ webs: if some light or powerless thing falls into them, it is caught, but a bigger one can break through and get away.” (Jona Lendering). This represents the devotion and love Solon had for lawmaking and how understanding he was of the specific subject. He enjoyed helping people and felt proud of his wise personality that contributed so much to his economic and political reforms. His formation and establishment of democracy would mark the history of the city and influence the entire world in the centuries to come. Just like any other human being, Solon had some strengths and weaknesses. His strengths were his abilities to read and write allowing him to write very significant poems. These poems had a lot of impact on the people of his century because he knew exactly what he was talking about referring to his own code of laws and reforms. His weaknesses were his two friends Draco and Peisistratus because they took over some of his successes and belittled Solon’s ideas. Another weakness he had was, the city of Athens not appreciating his reforms and code of laws while they were set in stone (Britcanna/Solon). It made him upset so he left his people and went travelling hoping that when he came back they would appreciate what he had done. Once Solon returned, he found the citizens divided into regional factions headed by prominent nobles (Greeka). Of these prominent nobles, his friend Peisistratus seemed to Solon that he was planning to become a tyrant. The statesman’s urgent warnings were disregarded, even dismissed as quickly as possible. Solon was proven right; Peisistratus did become tyrant in 560 BC. With that, it shows how long Solon had been gone since there were some changes to the city of Athens. Overall, Solon put an end to the worst evils of poverty in Athens and provided his fellow citizens with a balanced constitution and a humane code of laws. Solon was also Athens’ first poet who truly belonged to Athens. As the middle, through which he warned, counseled the people, challenged, and urged them to action, his poetry was the key of his statesmanship. In the years to follow his death, Solon was remembered as a wise man with innovative ideas. He also made important constitutional changes that will be remembered and effective in the lives of the 5th and 6th centuries and our lives now in the present.