Which political rights did the lowest Athenian property class receive under Solon?

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Under the reforms of the Athenian statesman Solon, the lowest property class, known as the thētes, gained significant political rights that helped lay the foundations for future democracy.12

These rights included:

  • Assembly Participation: All citizens, including those in the thētes class, were entitled to attend the general Assembly, or Ecclesia. This body became the sovereign authority, with the power to pass laws and decrees, elect officials, and hear appeals from the most important court decisions.1
  • Judicial Appeal: Solon granted the right of appeal to the hēliaia, or popular law court. This allowed the people to exercise some measure of control over the verdicts of magistrates.23
  • Legal Standing: Solon established that any Athenian citizen, not just the injured party, could initiate a lawsuit, providing the thētes with a formal mechanism to seek justice.3

While these reforms granted the thētes these essential rights, they remained excluded from serving on the Council of Four Hundred and were ineligible for higher governmental posts, which were reserved for the wealthier income groups.1