Solon one the world’s wisest men was born in Athens in 638 B. C. He was a contemporary of Lord Buddha of India. His father was Execestided who hailed from the royal family of King Codrus.
The family was a rich one but Execestides squandered the wealth. So Solon had to engage in trade. His business activities led him to travel widely, especially in Ionia. On such journeys he came into contact with a lot of foreign people and he gained a wide experience via them.
Though he earned money, he was no admirer of wealth. He was a cultured man and a persistent seeker of wisdom. He was a poet and he made Athenians learn politics, law and ethics through poetry.
He believed that law and political ethics are essential for the upliftment of a society. He was so prestigious and revered by people they urged him to be their king – a tyrant. But Solon refused, saying, “A tyranny is a lovely place, but there is no way down from it.”
In his time there was great social and political unrest in Athens. Solon stressed the reasons for the condition “Driven by greed, the leaders of the society enrich themselves unjustly making undue use of the wealth of the state treasures and the wealth of the temples. Justice, though silent, knows all the past and the present and never fails to come in time to meet the wrongdoers”, he exclaimed.
In 594 B. C. he was appointed the ‘Archon’ a very powerful position. He made several reforms that benefitted poor people, slaves and middle class citizens. He limited the area of land that could be owned by a person, in order to curtail the growth of large estates. He forbade the export of grain and granted some political rights to the peasants. He reformed the constitution of Draco to a such a desirable extent that he was named “The founder of Athenian democracy.”
Solon took measures to make public administration efficient and responsible for the citizens. The other areas Solon took remedial measures were marriage, wills, dress, and burial.
Solon’s reforms based on his ideas of justice satisfied no one, especially the landowners, rich people, those who loaned money, the priviledged and the aristocracy.
Therefore Solon left Athens and started a long journey. He visited Egypt, Cyprus and Asia Minor. In Cyprus he helped the king there to lay out a new city which was named ‘Soli’, in his honour. Next he visited Lydia and stayed there with King Croesus.
In several incidents there, Solon gave wisdom to Croesus who was very much proud of his wealth and power. Once he said to Solon who asked for the name of ‘the happiest man’ he had ever met. Solon’s reply was that no man can be called happy until his life has ended happily. On another occasion, he told Croesus that “Riches above the needs of man do not necessarily bring happiness to him.”
When Solon returned to Athens in his last days, he saw the city he had set on the road to democracy had fallen into the power of a tyrant – Pisistratus, a very good friend few years ago.
The aged Solon went into the ‘agora’ or the public hall and urged the citizens to rise against the tyrant and throw him off. Solon’s friends feared for his life because of his open opposition to Pisistratus.
Although their political views were opposed, Pisistratus retained his friendship and respect for Solon, and did him no harm. Solon lived a full and enjoyable life in Athens where he died in 559 B. C.
His body was cremated in Athens and the ashes were scattered over the island of Salamis which he loved most. He was inscribed as one of the ‘Seven Sages of Greece.’ His name has passed into the English language as a synonym for a legislator or a wise official.
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