Athens: The Rise of Democracy

Athens was a city in Greece controlled by aristocrats that became a unified polis in 700 B.C.E. Athens was pretty much down the toilet in terms of political turmoil. People owed money left and right, others had hardly any land. Athens practically had war. Solon, provided needs for Athens however, failed to provide land for the poor, and also ended up bringing aristocrats out of power, which inevitably started the tyranny in Athens. Pisistratus became a tyrant soon after and gave the people what they wanted, but that too didn't last long after his son was rebelled against. Then came Cleisthenes who provided a new political power of sorts, and started the beginning of Athenian democracy. Little by little he took power away from aristocrats for good and gave power to the people, with limitations of course.