Solon was an archaic Athenian statesman, lawmaker, political philosopher, and poet. He is one of the Seven Sages of Greece and credited with creating laws that helped shape Athenian democracy and for his famous sayings about moderation and virtue.
Solon’s reforms included debt relief later known and celebrated among Athenians as the seisachtheia (shaking off of burdens). He is described by Aristotle in the Athenian Constitution as “the first people’s champion”. Demosthenes credited Solon’s reforms with starting a golden age.

After the engraving from “Iconographie grecque” (Pl.9) by Ennio Quirino Visconti published in 1808 in Paris. Visconti (1751-1818) was an Italian antiquarian and art historian, papal Prefect of Antiquities, and an expert on ancient Roman sculpture. Published by order of Napoleon copies of this three volume work were given out as gifts.