How did Solon’s constitution limit the political monopoly of the eupatridae?

Solon limited the political monopoly of the eupatridae (the nobility of birth) by restructuring the Athenian political system to prioritize wealth over hereditary status.12

His reforms dismantled the exclusive control held by the aristocratic families through the following measures:

• Census-Based Classes: Solon instituted a census that divided citizens into four income groups based on their annual production of grain, oil, and wine. Political privilege and eligibility for office were subsequently allotted according to these wealth-based divisions rather than noble birth.13
• Expanded Participation: All citizens were granted the right to attend the general Assembly (Ecclesia), which became the sovereign body responsible for passing laws, electing officials, and hearing appeals.1
• New Administrative Bodies: He created the Council of Four Hundred to prepare business for the Assembly, allowing citizens from the top three income groups to serve in government.1
• Judicial Reform: Solon introduced the right of appeal to a court of citizens at large, providing a check on the decisions of magistrates.3

While these changes laid the foundations for democracy, the highest governmental posts remained reserved for the top two income groups, and conservative influence persisted through the Areopagus.1