Athens and Sparta Comparison - 1307 Words

Athens and Sparta Athens and Sparta were the two largest Greek city-states of the Ancient world. They were the biggest of rivals, two towering cities at their peak, the most influential cultural, military, and trade powers of western civilization in the first millennium B.C. They are sharply contrasting yet strikingly similar, setting the stage for the Peloponnesian War. Their differences were the effect of geographical isolation but they began with the same base of ideas on which to build. The Peloponnesian War was between the two over Sparta s fear of Athens growth of power, and especially the Megarian Decree, an Athenian economic sanction against the Spartan ally Megara. This sanction against the state would prove disastrous for†¦show more content†¦Spartan society itself changed after its transition tot a military state. The center of Spartan life was the military and the polis. Children were systematically determined at birth whether they were weak or strong and left to die of exposu re if deemed unfit to serve the state s army. This had been performed before in Greece, but the state institutionalized it and made it a common practice. At the age of seven the Spartan male was sent to military and athletic school. There they were taught survival skills, endurance of pain, discipline, and toughness. This continued for 13 years when the Spartan was 20 and became a soldier. A soldier would live in his barracks with fellow soldiers, eat with his fellow soldiers, fight with his fellow soldiers and even die with them. The life of a Spartan male was one of simplicity, discipline, and self-denial. The Spartan ideology was state oriented, the life of a male was designed to serve the state from birth to the age of 60. This ideology, the rigorous military training, and the disciplined maintenance of the Spartan armies gave the polis a stability that was threatened by the Messenian revolt. This stability was seen in the government of the Spartans, which was composed of a dual monarchy at the top with two kings and 28 nobles. This council debated over issues and set legislative and foreign policy. All of the Spartan malesShow MoreRelatedComparison Between Athens And Sparta996 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: Athens and Sparta were two city states in Ancient Greece. These city states worked to build a successful nation of freedom from outside rulers, in hopes of being a well-functioning society. The two city states had varied approaches in their desire for successful governments. Athens held a more democratic approach to government while Sparta held a monarchical or dictatorship government. How did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisionsRead MoreComparison of Men and Women of Athens and Sparta2038 Words   |  9 PagesComparison of men and women in Athens amp; Sparta When comparing power levels and women’s rights, Sparta was a leader in its time. Athens and Sparta, though both Greek city-states were different in the way they operated. More specifically, Sparta was different in the way that they treated their women. Athenian woman were treated quite appallingly compared to the standards of today’s women. The stem of this difference seems to lie in how these two city-states were governed. Sparta, known forRead MoreComparison of the Greek City States- Athens and Sparta795 Words   |  3 PagesGreece was controlled by two main powers; Athens and Sparta. These city-states were very different. Sparta was known for their strength, discipline, individuality, beauty, sports, and learning (Beck et al. 131). Athens was known for education, fitness, art, literature, and wealth. Not to overlook the rights of women, which were a little elevated in Sparta, the city that had an overall greater respect for human rights, would be Athens. One reason why Athens had a greater respect for human rights isRead MoreAthens And Spart Greek City State That Comprised Of Complex And Multifaceted Institutions1625 Words   |  7 PagesClassical Sparta was a Greek city-state that comprised of complex and multifaceted institutions. Labelled by Xenophon as â€Å"most powerful and most celebrated†, contemporary historians have been drawn to question and assess whether these ‘powerful’ institutions were unique to Sparta (Xen. Con. 1.1). Upon evaluating ancient sources in relation to these historical considerations, it became apparent that the focuses and construct of Sparta’s institutions widely differed to institutions demonstrated inRead MoreAthens vs. Sparta1211 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Athens Vs. Sparta Throughout the ancient world there were two dominating empires. (S) The Athenian City (polis) and the Spartan empire. These two cities were both powerful and famous but significantly different. However, the city of Athens was by far a much more influential and powerful city-state in comparison to Sparta. Although both the city-states had their own strengths such as their government, social structure and their military tactics, Athens was a pivotal city that still to this dayRead MoreAthens vs. Sparta1146 Words   |  5 PagesDanielle Palawasta Athens vs. Sparta Persuasive Research Paper Henry/Lih- LA/SS- Per. 3/7 Due: 3/22/13 Envision a world where the people are ravenous and yearning for any remnant of food they could obtain, where the society is overrun and no one has a free say. This is the type of society the ancient Spartans would have lived like unlike the ancient Athenians. The Athenians lived a far more diverse life if compared to Sparta. Ancient Athens was better to live in than ancient Sparta due to its efficientRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Sparta And Athens748 Words   |  3 PagesIt was said the hostility between Sparta and Athens began high anticipation towards the nearly inevitable battle of these city-states, thus it began with the declaration of war with Sparta in 431 B.C.. Subsequent to ten years of the Peloponnesian War, the two populations decided upon a truce. However, the peace did not survive long, for in 415 B.C., the Athenians decided to attack a major Sparta ally; their plan was to demolish the city-state of Syracuse. This scheme resulted in a harsh loss takenRea d MoreThe City Of Sparta And Athens1750 Words   |  7 Pagescity of Ancient Sparta did not have wall. Its walls were its strong warriors, young men equip with spears and shields. This radically unique city was unparalleled compared to cities in its time and present day. The ideals related to the equality males and females were some of the most unique aspects of Sparta. Women had power and responsibility in their own right. Its strict militaristic mentality was the backbone of its well-run city which was unlike the city of ancient Athens. Athens was dynamic andRead MoreSlavery in Sparta vs. Slavery in Athens Essay1563 Words   |  7 Pagesconditions in Ancient Athenian society were far better than those in Sparta. The definition of the word slavery encompasses a vast array of connotations, meanings, and values; in order understand slavery conditions in Athens and Sparta, it is important to decipher exactly what the word both means and implies. For all intents and purposes, in this essay the word slavery will refer to the non-citizen people of both Athens and Sparta who are enslaved by either the state or an individual person, dependingRead MorePeloponnesian War Strategies Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesPeloponnesian War Strategies Just before the Peloponnesian War began, Pericles of Athens and King Archidamus of Sparta provided net assessments of the comparative strengths and weaknesses of the two sides. Evaluate their projections. A study of the strategies and projections of King Archidamus of Sparta as compared to those of Pericles of Athens reveal Archidamus understanding of the superiority of land power as a basis for success at sea in the ancient Mediterranean - as well as