Solon (c.638-559BC)
The ancient Greeks considered Solon to be one of the Seven Wise Men. He
was a poet, politician and lawmaker, and was the one to found democracy in
Athens.
Solon was born into a noble family and at the age of about 55 he was elected
archon of Athens, in order for him to help the city get through the social
and economical crisis it was going through.
As such, he wrote a series of laws and reforms called Solon's laws. They
covered all aspects of society: economy, marriage, politics, crime and
punishments etc. There was even laws about the citizens obligation to take
part in politics: if Athens was going through disputes between different
parties, any citizen who did not take sides would have his belongings
confiscated.
He divided the Athenian society into five classes based on people's annual
fortune: the pentacosiomedimni, the medimni, the hippeis, the zeugotae, the
thetes. According to class, one had certain obligations, such as tax and
contributions to the war-machine. Solon introduced the Aeropagus, the court,
and the boule, a parliament consisting of 400 members, which made Athenian
citizens more engaged in the cities politics even of the lower classes,
something which made him unpopular amongst the aristocrats.
Many people also believed he did not give the people enough power, and all
this hostility made Solon leave Athens for ten years. He saw his democracy
turn into a tyranny under Pisistratus, even though the tyrant kept his laws.
Solon is said to have made many journeys after he had become a private
citizen again, and on one of his trips he met the legendary king Croesus
according to some sources.
"Call no man happy until you know the nature of his death; he is at best but
fortunate."
Solon (Herodotos, History, book I)