Solon was one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece and dominated Athenian politics for several decades, becoming the city's chief magistrate in the early years of the 6th century BC (594-3 BC). Though Solon was not the city's first legal reformer - that dubious honor belonged to the harsh Dracon, who introduced the first law codes three decades before - he was certainly the most influential. By the time of Cleisthenes' reforms nearly a century later, he had already assumed an almost mythical status.

Solon's reforms were designed to restore the bond between ruled and rulers. Born an aristocratic himself, he did not believe the people should actually rule, only that they ought to be consulted in a popular assembly. As a result he created a Council of Four Hundred to represent the ordinary citizens, and initiated reforms in many other areas of law, such as debt relief and taxes.

Some of his reforms were, however, rather peculiar. For instance, in order to encourage participation in the affairs of the city, he argued that when two aristocratic factions were vying for power every citizen had to choose which side he supported or loose his citizenship altogether!

Ironically, many of the reforms he didn't manage to achieve - especially economic ones - were later carried out by the tyrant Pisistratus.

According to Plato's dialogues the Critias and the Timaeus, Solon was also responsible for bringing the Atlantis myth to Greece. He is said to have discovered it while travelling in Egypt.