Below you'll find an annotated version of the further reading list for this chapter (p. 148).
Students are advised to note that most books dealing with Athenian democracy include a lot of information which is not relevant to our depth study (because the sources refer to the period after 483 BC).
Regrettably, there is nothing here which deals specifically with Samos. If students wished to go further, they are advised to look up Samos/Polycrates in the indices of general Greek history books (such as Oswyn Murray’s Early Greece). They might also like – if possible – to make use of the scholarly articles and books suggested in the ‘Further reading list for teachers’. Another good thing to do would be to read more of Herodotus Book 3. It is by far the most accessible and interesting text on this subject!

Translated Texts

If you are slightly unsure of what a phrase means in one of your prescribed sources, it is always good to have a look at another translation. A different translator might phrase it in a way that makes more sense to you.

Herodotus, The Histories, translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt; introduction and notes by John Marincola, Penguin (Further revised edition, 2003)

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, translated by Rex Warner; introduction by M. I. Finley, London: Penguin (2000)
Both of these translations are very fluent and readable. The notes at the back of each text provide crucial contextual information. They also explain the meaning of unusual words and customs which might not have been explained in the textbook or Prescribed Source Booklet due to constraints of space. Both books contain introductions that give further background information about the authors, their style of writing and the circumstances in which they were writing. This is not only interesting but also it might give you more things to think about when assessing the accuracy of a source.

Books

General

Forrest, W.G. The Emergence of Greek Democracy: the character of Greek politics, 800-400 BC (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1972)
Although now a little dated, this book provides a detailed overview of the Athenian tyranny (Ch. 7: Tyranny in Athens) and the early years of the democracy (Ch. 8: The reforms of Kleithenes). An earlier chapter on Solon (Ch. 6) provides further information about his reforms for those who are interested. 

Hall, J. A History of the Archaic Greek World (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell), chapters 6, 9
This book takes a thematic (rather than chronological) approach to the study of archaic Greece. It is particularly useful for those wishing to engage with a wider number of primary sources, both written and archaeological.

Murray, O. Early Greece (London: FontanaPress/HarperCollins, 2nd edition, 1993)
An accessible overview of archaic and early classical Greek history. There are relevant chapters on tyranny (Ch. IX) and the changing political situation in Athens (Ch. XV: The Leadership of Greece: Sparta and Athens). Readers should be aware that the book discusses a number of city-states, not just Athens.

Renshaw, J. In Search of the Greeks (Bloomsbury: London, 2nd edition, 2015)
A very readable introduction to all aspects of Greek history and culture, written by an experienced teacher. It has useful chapters on Greek history (Ch. 1) and Athenian Democracy (Ch. 6).

The Peisistratids

Lewis, S. Greek Tyranny (Bristol Phoenix Press, 2nd edition, 2017)
It is quite hard to find books dealing with tyrants individually (rather than the phenomenon of tyranny as a whole). This book is therefore very useful, as Ch. 2 focuses on the Peisistratids.

Smith, J. A. Athens Under the Tyrants (Bristol Classical Press, 1989)
Written as a textbook for sixth formers and those in their first two years of university, this is a very useful guide to everything about the Peisistratids (including rise to power, how their government functioned, etc). Although a little out of date, the information is accurate and it is a quick read.

Athenian democracy

Carey, C. Democracy in Classical Athens (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017)
Written in the same series as Athens Under the Tyrants, this book will provide a lot of supplementary information about the early years of the democracy for those who wish to dig deeper into the topic. Ch. 2 (From Aristocracy to Democracy) is particularly relevant. Many original sources are quoted, but readers should think carefully about the dates to which the passages refer, as much of the book inevitably deals with the period post 483 BC.

Ober, J. The Athenian Revolution (Princeton University Press 1999), chapter 4
This book is a collection of essays written by various scholars on aspects of Athenian political history. Ch. 4 is recommended for those who wish to know more about the rise to power of Cleisthenes.

Thorley, J. Athenian Democracy, Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History (2nd edition, 2004)
This is a short introduction to Athenian Democracy and what came before it. It is therefore perfect for those who wish to delve just a little deeper into the topic.

Websites

The JACT teacher notes on Athenian democracy in the fifth century provide very useful preparatory reading material for aspects of this topic.
These notes were written for a former Ancient History specification, and are more useful to those studying Athenian democracy in the later part of the fifth century. Nevertheless, pages 3-4 provide a useful chronology of period from Solon to Cleisthenes, and the later material, arranged mostly thematically, touches on ideas and institutions which were important for our period too.