Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/436

 430 THE KEV0LUTI0N8. BOOR lY. CHAPTER X. An Aristocracy of Wealth attempts to establish itself. Establishment of Democracy. Fourth Revolution. The government which succeeded to the rule of the religious aristocracy was not at first a democracy. We have seen, from the example of Athens and Rome, that the revolution which took place was not the work of the lowest classes. There were, indeed, some cities where these classes rose first ; but they could found nothing durable. The protracted disorders into which Syracuse, Miletus, and Saraos fell are a proof of this. The new governments were not established with any so- lidity, except where a class was at once found to take in hand, for a time, the power and moral authority which the Eupatrids and the patricians had lost. What could this new aristocracy be ? The hereditary religion be- ing thrown aside, there was no longer any other social distinction than wealth. Men demanded, therefore, that wealth should establish rank ; for they could not admit at once that equality should be absolute. Thus Solon did not think- best to do away with the ancient distinction founded on hereditary religion, except by establishing a new division, which should be founded on riches. He divided the citizens into four ranks, and gave them unequal rights ; none but the rich could hold the highest offices; none below the two intermediate classes could belong to the senate, or sit in the tribunals.* ' Plutarch, Solon, 18; Aristides, 13. Aristotle, cited b^ HarpocratioD; at the words 'Jnnut, Oi;re{. Pollux, VIII. 129.