Essay: Peasants fighting for libration in Athens

Sample Essay

A change only came with the appointment of Solon as a mediator and archon between the two parties (Kenyon, 2009). It was the appointment of solon as the head of constitution affairs that the peasant began to fight for their liberation from aristocratic oppression. Solon started by prohibiting all loans on the security of the debtor’s person, cancelled all public and private debts of all poor people (Kenyon, 2009). His new constitution nullified almost all of Draco’s ordinances apart from the murders laws and classified the society into four main social classes depending on their possession of property. These were the Pentacosiomedimmi, Knights, Zeugitae and Thetes (ibid).

Although, Solon was very successful in bringing constitutional changes and improved the status of the poor, he eventually left his country and went abroad.  He left behind a city that was still divided along social class which deteriorated into dissention due to lack of archon (Kenyon, 2009). It was not until appointment of Pisistratus that the city began to enjoy relative peace and stability due to his democratic ideals. Since he was a democrat, he gave more powers to the poor thus overthrowing tyrannical rule of the time, but later reversed his leadership styles became a tyranny himself after the battle of Magara. Kenyon (2009) argues though that his tyrannical regime was temperate compared to others because it was built around the constitution. He observed human rights, forgave the offenders and gave money to the poor to cultivate their lands and promoted local justices. Unfortunately, his tyrannical regime began harsher and was over thrown by Cleisthenes who become another popular leader by reforming Solon’s constitution. He condemned the beliefs and ideals of tribalism and promoted democracy.

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