Athens vs Sparta

Athens

vs.

Sparta

By Jared Horvath

To help you get the most out of this book, three web-buddies will be reading along with you.

 Click on Pengee the Penguin if you need some ideas on how the content may relate to you, the reader - he'll give you some good tips.

Click on Cammy the Chameleon if you already have some ideas of how the content relates to you - she'll help you expound those ideas.

Click on Ralph the Dog if you're up for a bit of a challenge - he'll ask you some tough conceptual questions to help you go deeper into the material.

Ancient Greece - a Mediterranean country - was divided into several territories known as city-states.  Each city-state had its own rulers and developed its own culture.

Two of the most important and powerful city-states were Athens and Sparta.

Even though Athens and Sparta were very close and part of the same larger country, the two places were very different.

Athenian Culture

The people of Athens - known as Athenians - believed in their own cultural superiority.

In Athens, there was a great emphasis placed on literature and the arts.  Young boys started school at age 5 and studied reading, writing, music, painting, and other artistic pursuits.

Certain that the proper way to live was through cultured civics, Athenians traded heavily with surrounding areas and tried to spread their cosmopolitan beliefs to lands far and wide.

Spartan Culture

The people of Sparta - known as Spartans - were were very powerful.

In Sparta, there was a great emphasis placed on military training and fighting.  Young boys started school at age 4 and studied warcraft, fighting techniques, and army tactics.

Certain that the proper way to live was through a quiet, powerful presence, Spartans tended to avoid contact with surrounding areas and focused, instead, on their own territitory.

Athenian Government

The Athenian government is considered the first democracy in the world.

Consisting largely of an elected assembly, nearly every Athenian rule or law passed was first considered and debated by assembly members to ensure it benefited the good of all.

New assembly elections were held every year and spots on the assembly council were open to any male who desired to run.

Spartan Government

The Spartan government was kown as an oligarchy - or "rule by a few".

Essentially, two war generals who had proven themselves worthy in battle acted as rulers and made decisions for the entire territory of Sparta.

At times of war, a single person - known as a "guardian" - was chosen and made decisions not only for the people but also for the army of Sparta.

Athenian Women

Athenian women were not given many freedoms within the city-state.

Many women focused on schooling their children, ensuring their household was presentable, and ensuring the city around them was clean and reflective of a strong culture.

Women were hardly seen outside the household, but, when in public, were expected to act with civility and grace.

Spartan Women

The women in Sparta were very powerful and enjoyed many freedoms.

Expected to raise strong children, Spartan women were, themselves, very strong and experinced in combat.

As Spartan men were often off at battle, the women were in charge of running most of the daily life in Sparta.  They ran shops, prepared meals, and set up most Spartan cultural activities.

Now that we've learned a bit about Athens and Sparta, let's answer a few questions:

Question 1

The picture and song below most likely depict which city-state: Athens or Greece?

Conceptual Question #2

If you could live in either Athens or Sparta, which would you chose?  Why?

In 490 bc, Athens and Sparta engaged in battle.  Known as the Peloponnesian War, these two city-states fought eachother for control over the whole of Greece.

Question #3

Who do you think won the Peloponnesian War: Athens or Sparta?

So who won the Peloponnesian War?

Believe it or not, after 28 years of on-again/off-again fighting, Athens defeated the mighty Spartan army and became the ruling city-state of Greece.

The Athenian focus on culture and the arts along with their democratic government lived on throughout Greek history and greatly influenced the formation and culture of the United States as well.