CLCV 205: Introduction to Ancient Greek History
Lecture 11 - The Rise of Athens (cont.). In this lecture, Professor Kagan traces the development of Athens. He argues that Athens, like other poleis, undergoes political and social turmoil due to the rise of the hoplite farmer. This unrest is first seen in the attempted coup d'etat of Cylon and the Law of Draco. Professor Kagan also points out that in response to these developments, Solon was made sole archon of Athens to establish peace in a time of unrest. It should also be noted that Solon established laws that were moderate in nature. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Solon was only partially successful. Eventually, a tyranny is established in Athens by Peisistratus, but Peisistratus, according to Professor Kagan, was a special type of tyrant, one that not only upheld the new laws of Solon, but was also interested in the welfare of Athens. (from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 11 - The Rise of Athens (cont.) |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. The Code of Draco; Athenian Colonies |
| [00:09:13] | 2. Crises and the Rise of Athens and Solon as Sole "Archon" |
| [00:20:25] | 3. Choosing Solon |
| [00:25:49] | 4. Solon's Economic and Social Measures |
| [00:37:21] | 5. Solon's Political Measures |
| [00:47:22] | 6. Dissatisfaction and Years of Anarchy |
| [00:52:48] | 7. Peisistratus, the Very Special Tyrant |
| References |
| Lecture 11 - The Rise of Athens (cont.) Instructor: Professor Donald Kagan. The Rise of Athens [PDF]. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
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