Who was Solon?
When it comes to the establishment of democracy in ancient Athens, Solon (one of the seven sages of ancient Greece) is often given credit for playing an important role. Born in 638 BC, Solon became a well-known Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and lyric poet. The honor of becoming one of the Seven Sages of the ancient world came on the request of a travel writer by the name of Pausanias. In history, Solon was known for his stance against the decline of politics, morality, and the economy throughout Athens. While he created a collection of reforms, they did not succeed in the short term, however, he would later earn the recognition of developing the foundation for democracy in Athens. In the city-state, Solon served as a revered reformer and poet of his time – straying from the social and economic views of his peers. Some of his view can be seen in the following lines of one of his poems: “Some wicked men are rich, some good are poor; We will not change our virtue for their store: Virtue’s
