Athenian Political Reforms from Draco to Cleisthenes (c. 621–508 BCE)

1. Cylon’s attempted coup and ensuing religious “stain”

   Jan 1, 632 BCELabels: Cylon, Alcmaeonid family, Athens

   • Cylon
   • Alcmaeonidae

2. Draco’s law code promulgated in Athens

   Jan 1, 621 BCELabels: Draco, Athens, Law code

   • Britannica
   • WHE Timeline

3. Solon appointed archon with reform mandate

   Jan 1, 594 BCELabels: Solon, Archon, Athens

   • Britannica Greece
   • WHE Solon

4. Solon issues the Seisachtheia debt relief measures

   Jan 1, 594 BCELabels: Seisachtheia, Solon, Debt relief

   • WHE Solon
   • Britannica Greece

5. Solon creates Council of Four Hundred

   Jan 1, 594 BCELabels: Council of, Solon, Athens

   • Britannica Greece
   • Britannica Areopagus

6. Areopagus reshaped as archonship broadened by property

   Jan 1, 594 BCELabels: Areopagus, Archonship, Solon

   • Britannica Areopagus

7. Peisistratus seizes lasting power at Athens

   Jan 1, 546 BCELabels: Peisistratus, Tyranny, Athens

   • Britannica

8. Death of Peisistratus; Hippias and Hipparchus succeed

   Jan 1, 527 BCELabels: Peisistratid family, Hippias, Hipparchus

   • Britannica

9. Assassination of Hipparchus at Panathenaea

   Jan 1, 514 BCELabels: Hipparchus, Harmodius, Aristogeiton

   • Britannica

10. Hippias expelled; Peisistratid tyranny ends

    Jan 1, 510 BCELabels: Hippias, Expulsion, Athens

    • PBS Greeks

11. Isagoras chosen archon amid factional crisis

    Jan 1, 508 BCELabels: Isagoras, Cleisthenes, Sparta

    • Isagoras
    • PBS Greeks

12. Cleisthenes reorganizes citizens into demes and tribes

    Jan 1, 508 BCELabels: Cleisthenes, Demes, Ten tribes

    • Britannica Reforms
    • Britannica Cleisthenes

13. Council expanded to 500 under Cleisthenes

    Jan 1, 508 BCELabels: Council of, Boule, Cleisthenes

    • Britannica Boule
    • Britannica Cleisthenes