The Constitution of the Athenians

Likely composed by Aristotle or one of his students in the latter half of the fourth century BCE, the Constitution of the Athenians (often cited as the Ath. Pol.) preserves important evidence about the origins and evolution of the Athenian democracy. In the attached selection, chapters 5-12, the author discusses the nature of Solon's reforms in the early 6th century BCE. Read the selection and respond considering some of the following questions: how and why do these passages suggest that Solon's legacy was still debated at Athens 250 years after his reforms? What role do Solon's poems seem to play in the authors reconstruction of the nature of his reforms? What other kinds of evidence does the author rely on? How would you characterize the nature of his reforms and based on what evidence?
[Limit your response to between 200 and 400 words. These are low stakes writing assignments designed to encourage you to engage critically with ancient sources. All responses that attempt to engage carefully and thoughtfully with the sources will receive the full 2 marks. Responses that are superficial, neglect to engage with the sources, or fail to meaningfully address the prompts, will receive 1 mark. I reserve the right to award responses that are woefully inadequate 0 marks.]