Army In The Spartan Army

The main focus of Sparta was their military. They became a military state to ensure control over their conquered helots. From the first day a Spartan child was born he or she was examined to make sure that they were healthy. It was important for the boys to be healthy so that they could grow to be strong healthy soldiers, and for all to be healthy citizens. When the Spartan boys reached the age of seven they were taken and taught to read, write, and to be disciplined. They did not come out of the military until they were 60. In Document A the statue represents the Spartan soldier and how military was everything to the Spartans. Athens did not focus on their military as heavily as Sparta did, but they did have an army of hoplites. They paid for their military service, and the military was open to every class. They fought only when it was necessary and died for the city, as it was the duty of all the citizens to protect their city-state.

Athens was one of the only city-states with a democracy. In Document B Pericles, an Athenian general and leader, is describing a democracy and saying how every citizen is expected to serve the state. The reforms of Cleisthenes established the basis for the Athenian democracy. All citizens enrolled in ten tribes and each tribe chose 50 members by lottery each year for a new council of 500 people. These 500 people had the responsibility to take care of foreign and financial affairs. There was also an assembly of all male citizens, and they had the final authority in passing laws through free and open debate. In Sparta there were two kings who led the army and ruled their city-state. There were five ephors elected each year and they were responsible for the education of the youth and the beha...

... middle of paper ...

...ere given all the power in the household. The women had no part in the government. They learned how to spin, weave, sew, cook and to perform household jobs. For their whole lives they were controlled by their father and by their husband once they got married.

In conclusion Athens and Sparta were both very different Greek city-states, so different in fact that they could not get along. Trade, democracy, foreigners, individualism, thought, and the arts were all a part of Athens. Contrasting was Sparta whose focus was on the state, achieving power and independence, and their military. They were not able to ever unite, because of their sociological and cultural differences. Geographically they were so close that they could not ignore one another but fought for the top position among the Greek city-states. For in the end, it was their differences drove them apart.