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 media type="custom" key="29527391" align="right" =Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta.=

//Focus Question: What were the similarities and differences between Athens and Sparta?//

 * Topics on the page: **
 * A Comparative Analysis **
 * Population and Geography **
 * Government and Political Organization **
 * Social Structure **
 * Language and Religion **
 * Cultural Values **
 * Education **
 * Life and the Arts **
 * Cultural Achievements **
 * Sports **
 * ** Cynisca, First Woman Olympic Champion **

For more, see **AP World History Key Concept 2.2: Development of States and Empires**

A Comparative Analysis


See **Two Faces of Greece: Athens and Sparta** from the pbs.org website. This is one of the most informative website to compare/contrast Ancient Sparta and Ancient Athens.



This PowerPoint directly assesses the differences between Athens and Sparta, and can be used to help better understand those differences in a lesson plan:

Text book [|sample] on the two city-states

Check out this website that has more information like a wiki but for younger history students: @http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/worldhistory/athenssparta.htm

media type="youtube" key="i_kMOjk9PC8" width="560" height="315" align="right" The Athens vs. Sparta video from the PBS Empires series is currently available on YouTube (see links below). Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
 * The Polity of the Spartans, Xenophon, 375 BCE
 * The Polity of the Athenians, "The Old Oligarch," 424 BCE
 * A short video by the History Channel about Ancient Sparta
 * BBC Horrible Histories: Wife Swap: Spartans and Athenians: A witty, irreverent comparison of the Athenian and Spartan cultures. Good for a quick intro to the topic.

The following is based upon the table presented on the PBS educational website, **“** The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization”. Points of similarity will be highlighted in **bold** front while points of difference will be //italicized//





** Population and Geography **
//In addition, their strategic location facilitated trade with other regional powers. //
 * Athens: **Approximately 140,000.
 * They were influenced by the same geographical features—the water that surrounded them facilitated trade and travel. **
 * . Athenians lived on the coast by the sea **
 * . They received a good amount of rainfall **
 * . The soil was rocky and bad for growing crops **
 * . They had quick access to the ocean to trade **

Sparta: Approximately 100,000.
 * While Sparta had a similar geographic location as Athens, Sparta did not use its location to facilitate trade and travel. While Sparta and Athens are not that far from each other, there landscapes differ greatly. **
 * . Sparta was located on a narrow plain between mountains **
 * . The river Evrotas in Peloponnese provided access to water from the Lakonian Gulf **
 * . They had good soils for farming **
 * . They grew a variety of crops but limited trading **
 * . The mountains provided protection against enemies **

//Instead, Sparta turned inward cutting itself away from the influences of other regional powers //


 * Besides the obvious differences in philosophies, there is a very big difference in geography that cause these differences. Ancient Athens was situated somewhat close to the coast; it was only about five miles to the port city of Piraeus (which became part of Athens with the building of the Long Walls), thus it was no more then a few hours of travel from Athens to the coast line, thus greatly increasing the ability to be a trade center. Ancient Sparta however is located at the shortest distance 40 miles from the coast, however the terrain is somewhat rocky and there is no real straight path to the coast line. This would have greatly impeded the ability for Sparta to become a major trading port

**<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Government & ** **<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Political Organizations **
//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Typically classified as a “limited democracy.” Also considered the “birthplace of democracy //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">.”
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Athenian ** **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Government (see more Grade 7.26) **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Athens held the first democratic state, developed in 507 BC.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Principally made up of elected officials:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Council of 500 made most of the main administrative decisions
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Assembly was open to all citizens. This body passed laws and made policy decisions.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although many nations throughout time have modeled their governments on the principles of Athenian Democracy, it was not perfect. Only men were able to participate in the democratic assemblies, and this was only 10-20% of the population. Women, children, slaves and foreigners were not allowed to participate.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Typically classified as an "oligarchy" ( rule by the few), but had elements of monarchy, democracy, and aristocracy //
 * Spartan Government**


 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">See Sparta: Government and Classes from PBS //**
 * **Also Ancient Sparta: Description of the Government System**


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Two kings **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> were usually generals who commanded the major Spartan armies.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While both were capable military leaders one was usually considered the leader of the army. This was done mainly so that in times of war Sparta would still retain a leader if the other were to die in battle.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The most famous example was King Leonidas, who famously was able to hold off the enormous Persian Army at the battle of Thermoplyae.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Gerontes **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> or **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Gerousia **was a council of rich elders who served in an advisory capacity.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">28 councilmen over 60 years old and served lifetime terms. They acted as judges and proposed laws to the citizens' assembly.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Five overseers (ephors) **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ran the day-to-day operations of Sparta.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These overseers held one year terms and were responsible for the education and conduct of all its citizens (The Essential World History, W. Duiker & J. Spielvogel, Second Edition, 2005, p. 76)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Council or Senate (apella **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">)
 * ** A **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.72pt; line-height: 115%;">**ll Spartan males over age 30** could join the Assembly where they could show their support/dissent by shouting <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10.8pt; line-height: 115%;">.

** Social Structure **
**Athens Social Structure**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Freemen constituted all male citizens, divided into numerous classes:
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At the top, the aristocrats held large estates and made up the cavalry or captain triremes.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Middle ranks consisted mostly of small farmers.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The lowest class was the thetes who were usually urban craftsmen or rowers.


 * Metics – the people who lived outside the walls of Athens
 * Unable to own land
 * Could run industries and businesses
 * Slaves constituted the lowest class in Ancient Athens. Slaves had no rights. They constituted one fourth of the population. Though they often held important positions such as teachers and nurses.
 * Women’s principal role in Ancient Athens was in the home. They held no rights in the Athenian democracy.

Society was broken up into three main classes:
 * Spartan Social Structure**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt;">Spartiates – the military leadership who ruled the barracks. These men served in the military and could also vote.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt;">Perioeci - the freemen in Ancient Sparta. These included: artisans, craftsmen, and merchants. While they did serve in the army, members of this group could not vote.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt;">Helots – were serfs who generally descended from people overtaken by Spartan military victories. In addition to the conquest of land, these helots were the fruits of war. Members of this group typically gave half of their profits to the Spartan citizens who owned the land.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt;"> //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In comparison with Ancient Athens, Spartan women held a variety of rights //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For example, women could own property and engage in athletic events like the men in Ancient Sparta. //

Click here to a paper written about the roles of women in both ancient Athens and Sparta: @http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/antigone/athenian-vs-spartan-women.htm

Lived by the motto of returning from battle either "With your shield or on it." Click here for a lesson plan on Athens and Sparta.

**Language and Religion**
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Same language, religion and gods as the Spartans. According to Duiker & J. Spielvogel, “religion was a civic duty necessary for the well-being of the state.” (pg. 81)
 * Athens:**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Polytheistic
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Zeus was the supreme leader **


 * Sparta:**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">Same language, religion and gods as the Athenians. According to **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Duiker & J. Spielvogel, “religion was a civic duty necessary for the well-being of the state.”(pg. 81)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Polytheistic
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Zeus was the supreme leader

**<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Military Strength and Cultural Values **
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Athens:** //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Strong navy and fortification // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Strong belief in the democratic process //
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Basic site for information on Ancient Greek Warfare. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Strong army - overwhelmed opponents in sheer military strength // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Strong belief in militaristic values. Their society was built upon a structure of order and discipline. //
 * Sparta:**
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|comparative site about their different military strengths] //



**Education**
**Athens:** //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Boys: Learned an array of subjects including reading, writing, mathematics, music, poetry, sports and gymnastics. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Girls: Females received scant formal education. Instead, these women would focus on domestic skills like weaving and spinning. //
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Athens was home to [|Socrates] the developer of the Socratic Method which is a way of learning through debate which is still employed in classrooms today. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Boys ////<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">: Formal educations in the schoolhouses were not prized in Ancient Sparta. At the age of 7, boys would be placed into state-run training centers. At 20, Spartan males entered military services where they needed to serve until age 60 (essentially their entire lives!). Spartan men could marry at the age of 20, however they were unable to live with their families until age 30 when they left active military service. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Girls: On the other hand, females did receive some lessons in reading and writing. In addition, they could participate in sports. // To "experience" a Spartan boy's education, check out this interactive game. [|BBC Horrible Histories: Spartan Teacher Conference]: Very funny. Also, Don't Tell the Spartan Bride.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sparta: **

**<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Life and Arts **



 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Athens: **
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Much of what we have come to think of as the ingenuity and innovations of ancient Greece came from Athens. It was the largest and most culturally influential city-state, and the people were known for their love of learning and the arts, as well as great leaps forward in philosophy and science. //
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aside from being great writers and scholars, the Athenians were great architects. One of their most famous buildings, the [|Parthenon], is still an architectural marvel nearly 2500 years after its inception. //


 * Sparta:**
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Spartans did not place a high value on the arts, education or architecture. //
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Spartans did not trade with others because they didn’t want to be influenced by any outside cultures. //
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to Duiker & Spielvogel, Spartan citizens were discouraged to study the ideas of literature, science, and philosophy fearing that these new ideas could endanger the stability of the state (pg. 74) //
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This however was not the case for the entirely of Spartan History Archaeologist have found proof of [|art] in Spartan culture //

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Cultural Achievements and Legacy**
//Left a large contribution to modern society. The arts, architecture, drama, literature, philosophy, science, medicine and government (democracy, trial by jury) are all ideas and disciplines that had great influence in Ancient Athens.//
 * Athens:**

//Military prowess.//
 * Sparta:**

This is best evidenced by the fact in the difference of the modern appearance of the two cities. Athens, which is also the capital of modern Greece, is a vibrant tourist community with great ties to its past. They still have numerous ancient buildings at least partially standing and have numerous museums dedicated to artifacts from the past. However when you go to Sparta, the only thing letting you know that it is actually the location of one of the greatest military powers of the ancient world, besides the signs obviously, is the giant statue of King Leonidas outside of a recreational facility.


 * Click here for an interactive comparison chart between Spartan and Athenian men and women.


 * Sports**


 * Cynisca and the Heraean Games: The Female Athletes of Ancient Greece**

Sports played a unique role in the Athenian society as it brought people together and provided entertainment.
 * Athens**:
 * Victors were handsomely rewarded and became heroes.
 * There were more than 10 games held at the Olympia which are; wrestling,running, pentathlon, discus, chariot racing, javelin, jump, pankratrion,riding and boxing. This display of sports gave rise to the present Olympics.

Read @http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/sports.html

Sports were highly valued in Sparta as well but the difference was that Spartan women could compete in gymnastics, wrestling, spear throwing and physical fitness. Sparta believed that a strong woman would have strong children.
 * Sparta**:


 * Cynisca**
 * **First Woman Olympic Champion**
 * **Won the 4 horse chariot race in 396 and 392**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">--

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Athens and Sparta sometimes had common enemies. In 490 BC, the Persians, led by King Darius, invaded Greece. Athens and Sparta joined with other city-states to fight the Persians. The Greeks won in a famous battle at Marathon, however this victory at Marathon was done without the aid of the Spartan army. In 481 BC, Persia attacked again, this time led by Xerxes, Darius’ son. Athens and Sparta again united and eventually defeated the resurgent Persians.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Additional Notes **


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Additional Resources **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">1. @http://oyc.yale.edu/classics/introduction-to-ancient-greek-history/ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt; line-height: 115%;">On this website, students and teachers alike can watch college lectures of the Yale Classics course called, “ **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%;">Introduction to Ancient Greek History.” Under the tutelage of Professor **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt; line-height: 115%;">Donald Kagan, you can watch and listen to an entire semester’s worth of classes on Ancient Greece including two on Athens and Sparta alike.

2<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">. @http://www.studyworld.com/newsite/reportessay/History/European%5CSparta_Vs_Athens.htm<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt; line-height: 115%;"> Athens Info Guide, (2004). History of Athens, Birthplace of Democracy. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from Athens Info Guide Web site: @http://www.athensinfoguide.com/history.htm <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt; line-height: 115%;">This is another short article comparing and contrasting Sparta and Athens.

3. [] This link provides information about slavery in ancient Greece