Sparta Vs Athens Research Paper

582 Words2 Pages

In today’s society it is hard to grasp the reality that once was Ancient Greece. Two of the greatest powers in Ancient Greece was Athens and Sparta. Although Ancient Sparta and Athens was in the same relative area there civilizations were astonishingly different. Their Governments were very different, Sparta being a kind of warrior race and Athenians being a place of indulgents and relaxation. The interests of the Greek people were better served by the Democracy of Athens compared to the Oligarchy of Sparta. Evidence of Athens fair treatment towards its citizens have survived down the ages. Athens had lots of relaxing activities that were not only allowed but encouraged. People of Athens also had freedom and could choose what they wanted to do with their lives. The Government of Athens also accepted many different cultures as well as many different trading opportunities for the prosperity for its people.
First and foremost, Athenians had many opportunities to participate in activities such as sports, contests and …show more content…

The citizens of Athens could vote on the ways that their civilization was run; everyone decided who was responsible for different tasks of running the government, in other words they were a Democracy. People in Athens were not held back from government decisions because of their wealth. Athens was so accepting of people’s wealth to the extent that slaves were respected and got small amounts of money for work they completed. This was entirely different in Sparta. Spartan people had very little say in government matters; their government was made up of 7 truly powerful people. Slaves in Sparta were also mistreated and unlike in Athens where they only slaves from far off lands; Sparta had slaves from all around Greece. This acceptance of all people and their wealth goes to show that the Democracy of Athens treated its citizens better than the Spartan

Show More
Related

  • Dbq Compare And Contrast Sparta And Athens

    585 Words  | 2 Pages

    The governments of these two city-states were not alike in many ways. “It is true that our government is called a democracy, because its administration is in the hands, not of the few, but of the many,” (Document 3). Athens’ government was what we would consider today a direct democracy. This means that their government was run by the people, or in other words “the many”, rather than a couple government officials, or “the few”. Although Athens was running their city as a government by the people, Sparta had a different form of government. “it is made up of oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy,

    Read More

  • Comparing Athens, Sparta, And Miletus

    1364 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ancient Greece today is most known for the culture: the gods, the dramas, how people lived. What most people do not realize is that there were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of different civilizations spread throughout Greece that all had different forms of government. The three main ones were Athens, Sparta, and Miletus. Each was very different from the other. The most powerful out of all three was Sparta: a military based society. The Spartan government had a strong foundation that was all torn down by one bad leader.

    Read More

  • Sparta: Infrastructure, Social Structure, and Superstructure

    1515 Words  | 4 Pages

    Spartan culture is a great example of how a society’s infrastructure will directly affect both, its social structure and superstructure. It also serves as a warning that any society that becomes too rigid in its structure and too static in its values will not last long when confronted with more agile and adaptable cultures. This paper will explore why Sparta became the Hellenic army par excellence, how this worked to create a very specific social structure founded on martial values, and, finally, how that social structure would ultimately be the undoing of the culture.

    Read More

  • Sparta: The Militarized City-State of Ancient Greece

    1332 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sparta was a key city state which was located on the Peloponnesian Peninsula in southern Greek, which today is referred to as Laconia. Sparta is historically known for their strong military training, warfare tactics, and numerous victories. This city state included full citizens known as the Spartans, the helots, and the Perioeci. The men of Sparta had a main obligation to become strong warriors, fight with their brothers, and protect against any invasions or attacks. The helots where owned by city state of Sparta. They came from Messenia and were forced into slavery after being invaded by the Spartans in c.735. The helot’s responsibilities included farming, being of help if needed during battles, used as nurses, and for any other task that need to be accomplished. Unlike many traditional slaves, the Messenia’s were given certain leeway. They had

    Read More

  • Athens And Sparta Compare And Contrast

    492 Words  | 1 Pages

    Athens was the world’s first democracy, where the people ruled and voted. In Athens, women and girls were kept at home and were not allowed to participate in sports or politics. They were responsible for all the household chores and taking care of the children. In Sparta, however, women were free to move around and enjoyed a great deal of freedom.

    Read More

  • sparta vs. athens

    1227 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ancient Greece was rich in culture, as the country was separated into many polis (city-states). Among these cities, were the two most authoritative rivals—Athens and Sparta; having strived to attain power more than the rest, Athens and Sparta earned the most recognition. While both cities were two of the most powerful in Ancient Greece, the attainment of this power was approached in contradicting ways, as their values and lifestyle greatly differed. Athens and Sparta’s contrasting visions for their citizens framed their culture, which became the sole deciding factor in the kinds of laws that were implemented and enforced to form divergent systems including government, social class and gender roles.

    Read More

  • Athens vs. Sparta

    1187 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the times of Ancient Greece, two major forms of government existed, democracy and oligarchy. The city-states of Athens and Sparta are the best representatives of democracy and oligarchy, respectively. The focus of the times was directed towards military capabilities, while the Athenians were more interested in comfort and culture. It was the oligarchy in Sparta that put a war-like attitude as its first priority and best met the needs of Ancient Greece. These factors empowered Sparta and led to the development of an authoritative and potent state. Other contrasting issues included women’s rights, social classes, and value of human life.

    Read More

  • Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast

    495 Words  | 1 Pages

    Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast Both Sparta and Athens were Greek city-states. Sparta was a strict military ruled city-state where the people established themselves as a military power early. However Athens was more of a political city-state that was more involved with their economical stature than their military forces. Still changes from the Persian wars would change the powers of the city-state and somewhat unite them.

    Read More

  • Citizenship Dbq Analysis

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    Athens had a better system of citizenship because all social classes of free men could become citizens. The Old Oligarch states that “It is the poor which mans the fleet and has brought Athens her power (Doc. B).” Athens let all social classes receive citizenship having put all the free men through a great

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Sparta And Athens

    1022 Words  | 3 Pages

    Athens and Sparta were both city-states in Classical Greece. While Athens embraced democracy, Sparta was a dictatorial fierce warrior state. Sparta was a militaristic community, Athens was a freethinking, and commerce minded city-state. Modern societies have modeled their government organizational structure and military discipline practices from lessons learned of these ancient city-states. There is much is to be praised regarding Classical Greece for their courage, their progressive thinking and the birth of democracy. However, I think it is important to remember that in both cases, Athens and Sparta were able to sustain their lifestyle on the backs of countless slaves, non-citizens and women and that there is a darker and less romantic side to the past.

    Read More

  • Athens: The Superior Polis Compared to Sparta

    654 Words  | 2 Pages

    Athens was a much more superior polis compared to Sparta because the Athenians invented new ideas and creations that supported the people, such as democracy, the Athenians led the Delian League, and Sparta created the Peloponnesian League after the Athenians created their alliance, and the Athenians changed the ways of their government many times to suit the people, and the Spartans did not.

    Read More

  • Athens Vs Sparta Essay

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    Athens and Sparta were the two major polis in the classical Greek world, both very powerful and influential, but in very different ways. The majority of the hundreds of polis that make up Greece, independently ruled themselves. Greeks would go to Oracles to divine their future or settle disputes. Young Greeks would meet in Olympia for athletic competitions; known as, The Olympic Games. Athens and Sparta both had the Olympic Games and Oracles. They also shared other things; such as, language, culture, and history. Sparta had a population of 140,000 people and Athens had a population of 200,000 people.

    Read More

  • Greek Cities: Athens vs Sparta Essay

    581 Words  | 2 Pages

    Greece is a country united by its name, but divided by its ways. Although Sparta and Athens were both Greek cities, their societies were different. Sparta was focused on having a perfect military, whereas Athenian daily life revolved learning and knowledge. When Spartan boys were being trained for an army, Athenian boys were being trained for life. Both of these societies revolved around different government, education from when kids to teenagers, the responsibilities each individual had to keep their spot, and how women played a role throughout each city state.

    Read More

  • The Daily Life of Ancient Greeks

    941 Words  | 2 Pages

    Life in Greece in ancient times would remind you of your own life in many ways. There was school, family, athletic competition, and social gatherings. Knowing that participants in their sporting events competed nude or that you rarely knew your husband/wife until the wedding day does however, make you grateful for the society that you live in today.

    Read More

  • Essay On Ancient Greek Democracy

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Greece was made up of individual city states, known as a Polis, which relied heavily on citizen participation in politics. The idea of self-rule was an entirely new way of governing. Citizenship was unheard of at the time. Although still considered citizens not everybody was allowed to participate. In Athens only adult males who had military training were allowed to vote. The majority of the population, namely slaves, children, metics (free noncitizens) and women were excluded from participation in politics. “[Metics] and women were not citizens and did not enjoy any of the privileges of citizenship.”(Sayre, 137) Athenian citizens had to be descended from citizens, excluding the children of Athenian men and foreign women. Individuals could be granted citizenship in to Athens by the assembly this was usually as a reward for some service to the state. Ancient Greece paved the way for the representative democratic style of government that is practiced by many countries today. Much like how voting rights started out in America, originally only the wealthy land owners were allowed to vote and call themselves citizens, but soon all men were allowed to have a vote and a voice in their states politics. Essentially the Greeks were the first to introduce citizen rights and freedom similar to what’s seen today.

    Read More

More about Sparta Vs Athens Research Paper

Open Document