Who made the greatest contribution to the Athenian Constitution?

This essay hasn't yet been marked by one of our teachers

You can view all our essays on Classics that have been Marked by Teachers

The first 200 words of this essay...

GCSE Classical Civilisations Coursework

It is a quiet day on Mount Olympus in 423 BC. The mighty and all-powerful king of the gods, Zeus is seated atop his throne, looking unto his daughter, Athena, goddess of wisdom. They are arguing over the best way to organise the human race, a race so stubborn and hard-headed that they often ignore the best course of action, choosing instead to further their own wealth and power, rather than acting for the benefit of society.

The topic has turned to Athena's home city, and the two immortals discuss which citizen has made the greatest contribution to the Constitution of Athens. To settle the matter, they call up from Hades the shades of Solon, Peisistratos, Cleisthenes and Pericles. Each shade is given ten minutes in which to make a speech, clearly enumerating their contributions to the Athenian Constitution. As Zeus and Athena settle comfortably in their seats, the four shades begin their speeches.

Solon:

Your Highness, I am Solon, and I come before you today to outline my contribution to the Constitution of Athens. I first acquired the status of Eponymous Archon in 594 BC, and my first reform was