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During the 7th and 6th centuries B.C. aristocrats ran the show in most of Greece

• aristocrats- members of the ruling class

- attended symposiums, meetings where the elite men would enjoy wine and poetry; performances by dancers and acrobats and the company of the hetaeras (courtesans) while discussing politics
- no women except for entertainment
- no middle or lower classes
- even certain aristocrats were excluded
-would form alliances with hoplites- well armed soldiers- and set up alternative form of government- tyranny
-tyrant: someone who rules outside the framework of the polis
- modern meaning of tyrant: an abusive or oppressive ruler
- Greek meaning of tyrant: someone who simply seized power (usually with hoplite help)

• Draco (621 B.C.)

- all Athenians, rich or poor, are equal under the law- draconian- unnecessarily harsh
- but death is the punishment for many crimes
-debt slavery is OK- work as a slave to repay debts

• Solon's reform (594 B.C.)

- outlaws debt slavery
- all Athenian citizens can speak at the assembly
- any citizen can press charges against wrongdoers

• more reforms (500 B.C.) 

-allowed all citizens to submit laws for debate at the assembly
- created the Council of Five Hundred (members chosen at random, to counsel the assembly)
- but only free adult male property owners born in Athens were considered citizens
-no women, slaves, or "foreigners"