Sparta and Athens

The Emergence of Sparta

• Spartan society was far different from Athens– Was located on the Peloponnesus peninsula

• Spartans took over lands near them to expand their empire for food– People conquered forced to work their own land- called helots – Helots revolted and almostdefeated Spartans– Due to revolt the Spartansbuild a strong military state

Spartan Government• Spartan government was an oligarchy

– Rule by a few strong military leaders

• Two powerful kings ruled Sparta at all times• Under the kings were two other groups

– The assembly – free adult males & elected officials• Voted on the major issues of Sparta

– Council of Elders – those who were elder statesmen• Proposed and carried out the approved laws of Sparta• Also in charge of education and the court system

Spartan SocietyUpper Class – those who were family of the original

people of Sparta (original land owners)– Citizens usually had to pass a physical test to become a

citizen• If a person failed they became a Middle Class citizen

• Middle Class – non-citizens but were free people– People worked industrial or commerce jobs

(building/selling)

• Lower Class – Helots – those forced to work their own land, but conquered by Spartans– Were seen as just slightly better than slaves (farmers

mainly)

• Slaves – those who were owned by wealthy land owners of the Upper Class– Did the chores of the home, etc.

Spartan Society (cont’d)

• Women held a higher status in Sparta v. Athens– If they passed a physical test they were citizens

too– Able to be seen in society if a citizen– Other Greek city-states questioned this role

• Spartan Babies– Babies that were thought to be unfit would be left

on mountaintops or tossed away by the father– Unfit babies includes:

• Deformed, undersized, or anything not considered strong

Spartan Education• Education differed for males and females

– Women were given some education in Sparta

• For the boys – life centered on military training– Around age 7 boys would be taken to a barracks– Training would last for next 12-15 years

• Heads were shaved and their clothes and food was sparse• Trained to fight, kill and always put Sparta before self

• For the girls – education involved many things– Girls taught to run, wrestle and play sports– Also focused on placing Sparta before themselves

• Neither boys or girls focused on the arts, or other skills such as orating (speaking)

The Emergence of Athens

• Located on the Balkan peninsula– Was controlled by the Mycenaeans until

they were weakened by the Trojan War• Was first ruled by a monarchy• Later switched to aristocracy

– Rule by a few rich landowners• For a short period of time they were under tyranny• Eventually they created a limited democracy

The Athenian Democracy

• Athenians created a democracy to avoid a war– Problems b/w rich and poor were growing– Same problems were similar all through Greece

• Solon and Cleisthenes both help reform Athens• Only free adult males were part of democracy

– Makes it a limited democracy- limited people – Also a direct democracy- people vote, majority rules

• Women, foreigners, slaves not allowed to vote– Not given citizenship or rights either

Athenian Society• Athenian society was based on education,

arts and knowledge• Society had 2 classes based on wealth/land

– Citizen Class- those who owned land and were able to vote and participate in the government

– Non-citizen Class- all non-land owners, slaves and foreign people in the city-state of Greece

– Women had no rights to vote and mainly stayed in the home to deal with cooking, cleaning, children• Could be a citizen if her husband was, but could not

vote

Athenian Education• Education in Athens was the most important

– Focused on reading, writing, math, and speaking– Also focused on philosophy and music

• For the boys-– Boys were taught from age 6-7 in the arts at

schools– Went to 4 additional years of school around age

18– Were expected to serve 2 years in the military

• For the girls- – Girls were taught to read and write at home– Also taught how to weave, cook , etc.

Sparta v. Athens• Neither area like the other

– Both thought they were better than the other

• Sparta had the stronger Army– Athens had the stronger Navy

• Athens had the smarter, more rounded people– Sparta had the better fighters

• Women had a larger role in Sparta and could be citizens- if they passed the physical test– Women of Athens were only citizens if husband

was