Education in Greece• For the most part, only the sons of wealthy

families received educational opportunities.

• Schooling began around age 7

• Studied: – Reading, grammar, poetry, history, public speaking,

mathematics and music

• Athletic training everyday

• When boys got older, they went to military school.

• Mandatory duty of all male citizens

– They had to spend time in the military in order to have an active military ready to protect Athens

• Athenian girls did not go to school.

• They were educated at home by their mothers and other female members of the household.

– Learned about: raising children, weaving cloth, preparing meals, and skills that helped them become good wives.

SpartaSparta was pretty much cut off from the rest of Greece.

– Located in the southern part of Greece known as the Peloponnesus

Instead of a Democratic state like Athens, Sparta built a military state.

• Sparta’s government had several branches.

• An assembly which was composed of all Spartan citizens– Two military Kings

– The Council of Elders = 30 older citizens• Proposed laws on which the assembly voted

– Five elected officials carried out the laws• These men controlled education and prosecuted court

cases

Sparta’s social statuses

• 1: Citizens that descended from the original inhabitants

• 2: Free non-citizens – Manual labor

• The Helots– Slaves – Captured during war

• From 600 – 371 B.C., Sparta had the most powerful army in Greece.

• Devoted all resources to strengthen their military – Did not value art or literature

• Spartans valued duty, strength, and discipline

• In Sparta, men were expected to serve in the military until they were 60 years old!

• Boys left home at age 7 and moved into army barracks.

• They stayed in the barracks until age 30.

• They spent their days marching, exercising, and training.

• The Spartan girls also lived hardy lives.

• Received some military training.

– Were forced to stay athletic in case they were required to fight.

• During the Dorian age, the manufacturing of military weapons went under a transformation. Iron – The Iron Age

• Iron was harder than bronze

• Iron was cheaper to make than bronze.

• This means armies had MORE weapons.

The Phalanx

• The Phalanx was a fighting maneuver used and perfected by the Spartans.

– Foot soldiers stood side by side

– Each soldier held a spear in one hand and a shield in another

– The soldiers would press against opponents using the spears and shields