Harmodius and Aristogeiton To understand more about tyranny, play a game with a group of kids (about 25 is perfect) where you decide whether to have a tyrant, and who should be the tyrant. Most of the kids (all but five) will be ordinary people - men and women, mostly farmers. About half [...]
Obol minted under Pisistratus with the head of Medusa At first people were happy with Solon's changes. They had their farms back, and they didn't owe any money, and they weren't being killed for little things. They could (if they were free men) be judges and vote in the Assembly. But the people [...]
Sumerian man plowing on a cylinder seal The three demands that poor people made whenever they were able to make demands were for the cancellation of debts, the abolition of debt bondage, and the redistribution of land. What does that mean, and why did they do it? Let me tell you a little [...]
