ABSTRACT
Modern scholarship credits Solon with laying the foundations of citizenship in Athens. This chapter examines whether it is possible to interpret Solon's reform as the introduction of citizenship in Athens, and to associate Solon's politeia with the foundation of Athenian democracy. The development of citizenship in ancient Greece has generally been interpreted as a linear progression that emerged some time before citizen status became formalized and, after a few more steps including Cleisthenes's reforms, took its final shape as a result of the activities of Ephialtes and Pericles by the mid-fifth century. The concept of 'citizenship' emerged relatively recently; it was only a few centuries ago when, as newly developing centers of economic and financial power, European cities also strove to ascertain their social and political independence. The distinction between politeia and political rights in Athens and other ancient Greek cities revealed itself in several ways.
