Hans van Wees

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Solon, who was elected archon or chief magistrate of Athens in 594 BC: some see him as the father of Athenian democracy. In the first years of the 6th century BC, the city state of Athens was in crisis. The lower orders of society were ravaged by debt, to the point where some were being forced into slavery. An oppressive law code mandated the death penalty for everything from murder to petty theft. There was a real danger that the city could fall into either tyranny or civil war.Solon instituted a programme of reforms that transformed Athens’ political and legal systems, its society and economy, so that later generations referred to him as Solon the Lawgiver. WithMelissa Lane Class of 1943 Professor of Politics at Princeton UniversityHans van Wees Grote Professor of Ancient History at University College Londonand William Allan Professor of Greek and McConnell Laing Tutorial Fellow in Greek and Latin Languages and Literature at University College, University of Oxford Producer Luke Mulhall

Melissa Lane, a Princeton politics professor, Hans van Wees, an ancient history expert at UCL, and William Allan, a Latin literature professor at Oxford, dive into Solon's revolutionary impact on Athenian society. They discuss the chaotic backdrop of 6th century Athens, marked by economic strife and class struggles. Solon's reforms abolished debt slavery, fostered wider citizen engagement, and laid the groundwork for democracy. His innovative use of poetry helped bridge divides, making laws accessible and encouraging political dialogue during a time of turmoil.