The History of Ancient Greece Podcast: 025

In this episode, we discuss the life and deeds of the great Athenian statesman, Solon, who from his position of sole archonship, enacted various economic, political, and legal reforms that would later form the backbone for Athenian democracy in the Classical Period, but in doing so he took a moderate stance to appease everyone, which didn't quiet the ongoing social and economic problems of the state and shortly thereafter factionalism set in, leading to the next phase of Athenian political history (in which aristocratic infighting led to instability for decades and ultimately to tyranny)

ca. 625 BC - Severe agrarian crisis causes the Athenians to establish a cleruchy on Salamis; this led to continuous war with Megara, who also held claims to the island

ca. 605 BC - In order to defend their trade routes into the Black Sea, Athens challenges Mytilene for control of Sigeion in the Troad, an event which was arbitrated by Periander in favor of Athens (thanks to Solon's argument)

595 BC - Solon and Peisistratos led forces that defeated the Megarians

594/3 BC - Solon was appointed as sole archon of Athens in an extra legislative capacity to reform the constitution, which (among many other things) eliminated debt slavery and helped ease the land crisis; though wildly successful, his reforms' immediate aftermath led to increased competition amongst the elite for political offices

593-583 BC - Solon went on a self-imposed exile for 10 years following his reforms so that he couldn't be persuaded to change anything by his fellow citizens, during which he visited various rulers and wise men in Egypt, Cyprus, Lydia, and Ionia

591/0 BC - Political strife in Athens led to a period of anarchy as they were unable to elect the three archons, but it was eventually restored

580s-560s BC - Three dominant political factions (the Pediakoi, the Peralioi, and the Diakrioi) all competed for control of Athenian government

586/5 BC - Second bout of anarchy; once again was eventually restored

582/1 BC - Archonship of Damasias, at the end of which he refused to step down

579 BC - After two and half years, Damasias was driven out of the archonship; afterwards, a board of 10 archons were appointed to govern Athens

578 BC - Three traditional offices of the archons were re-established

575 BC - Ramp was built up onto the Acropolis; noble families compete for prestige through the funding of the construction of new buildings and statues atop the Acropolis, such as the Temple of Athena Polias (the precursor to the Parthenon) and a statue of Athena Promachos

566 BC - the Great Panathenaia was instituted by the archon, Hippocleides

ca. 565 BC - Solon recognized that Peisistratos was harboring feelings for a revolution to end the political strife of the three dominant political factions

Primary Sources:
Text/Pseudo-Xenophon (Old Oligarch)'s Constitution of the Athenians
Text/Aristotle's Constitution of the Athenians
Text/Plutarch's Life of Solon
Text/Pausanias' Description of Greece (Book 1, Attica)