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Solon: The Athenian Lawmaker
18-02-2013 19:59Solon was the most renowned lawmaker in Athens, serving at the beginning of the 6th century BC while Athens was in a critical period. The strict laws of Solon’s precedent lawmaker Draco in combination with a severe drought that caused famine had put many Athenians in difficult financial position. Solon gave a radical solution: “seisachtheia”.
Solon was elected chief magistrate in 594-593 BC and introduced a sweeping, radical reforms in lawmaking. Draco, who was the first to begin writing down the laws, served as lawmaker in 621-620 BC and he established severe penalties for all offenses. As the economy deteriorated soon after Draco’s time, many Athenians borrowed money and they were unable to pay their debts ending up enslaved by fellow citizens. The number of the debt slaves had created a major problem and Solon, in order to solve it, established seisachtheia, or the “shaking off of burdens” canceling most of the debts, restoring some order to a society in crisis. He also forbade the borrowing of money that took a security interest in the person and family of the borrower.
Solon also prohibited the export of all agricultural products except olive oil, which was in abundance. He introduced social and political reformations by granting citizenship to non-Athenians then living in Athens. This act established the basis of Athenian citizenship for about two centuries.
He made up a new law code, softening the Draconian laws that connected Draco’s name with severe punishments. Solon’s work as a lawmaker represents the most important steps Athens took toward establishing the Athenian Democracy.
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