th
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Looking at Athens/Sparta
Finishing worksheets
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Notes
Activity
 ASU won!  58-23

 What was the Spartan training like?
 What kind of geography did Greece have?

A Tale of Two Wars

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The polis or city-state was the central focus of
Greek life.
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A strong identity and loyalty kept the city-states divided

Spartan Values
 Strength
 Duty
 Discipline
Athenian Values
 Individuality
 Beauty
 Freedom

A city of the Wise

Where:
City located on southern portion of the Greek peninsula, not on the Peloponnesus
Known For:
A city run by thinkers and known for both its military might and wisdom in government and battle
Named After: named after Athena, goddess of wisdom in battle and counsel

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Values art and beauty above all
Sculptures, buildings, keeping oneself beautiful very important
 Art: culture, sculpture, paintings, vases, poetry, theater- ALL very important

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New, democratic ideas emerge from
Athenian culture and society:
 Direct Democracy: Citizens elect their representatives
 Public Debate: Becomes an art in
Athens to discuss and argue specifics of government
 Duties of the Citizen: All citizens have responsibilities such as voting, participating in the government process

Practiced throughout Greece and in Athens
• Slaves usually barbarians (non-
Greeks), typically captured in war.
• Others were born slaves or their free parents sold them into slavery for money.

The Warrior State

Sparta
It was here:

Focused on: war and building up strength to fight
Why strict laws: An early slave revolt causes the Spartans to create strict laws that demanded public allegiance to the state.
 No artistic culture; only war skills

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olig (few or little in Greek)
arche (rule)
Rule by a few the city-state was controlled by a king or by an oligarchy
Citizens are not encouraged to speak freely, the few who rule were usually powerful military leaders.

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Not allowed to Travel
Outsiders not welcome
Discouraged from studying philosophy, literature, or arts.
Studied Art of War

 Sparta was a military culture
• Went towards developing and fielding a strong army
• Children were taught at home until they were seven
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• At Seven, began their training
Exercises for them and all ages were always in the nude.
At 13, they were dropped off in the woods in groups with nothing…had to survive (without theft)

“ The women did not bathe the babies with water, but with wine, making it a sort of test of their strength. For they say that the epileptic and sickly ones lose control and go into convulsions, but the healthy ones are rather toughened like steel and strengthened in their physique.
The nurses displayed care and skill: they did not use swaddling-bands, making the babies free in their limbs and bodies. They also made them sensible and not fussy about their food, not afraid of the dark or frightened of being left alone, not inclined to unpleasant awkwardness or whining. So even some foreigners acquired Spartan nurses for their children.
”

"They learned reading and writing for basic needs, but all the rest of their education was to make them well-disciplined and steadfast in hardship and victorious in battle. For this reason, as boys grew older, the Spartans intensified their training, cutting their hair short and making them used to walking barefoot and for the most part playing naked. When the boys reached the age of twelve, they no longer had tunics to wear, but got one cloak a year. Their bodies were tough and unused to baths and lotions. They enjoyed such luxury only a few special days a year. They slept, in packs, on beds which they got together on their own, made from the tops of the rushes to be found by the river Eurotas. These they broke off with their bare hands, not using knives."

• Men married at the age of 20
• Had to live in barracks for ten years
• If they wanted to see their wives, they had to escape
• At the age of 30, men could finally move home and were full citizens
• Still ate every meal in the military dining hall
• Food was sparse and plain

Spartan mother to her son as he goes off to war:
“ Return with your shield, or on it.
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 To help ensure the physical superiority of their people, babies were bathed in wine shortly after birth.
• If they survived, they were taken to elders.
• If the elders deemed the baby unfit, it was left exposed to die on a hillside (other city-states practiced exposure).

• Learned reading/writing
• Girls given similar harsh physical training as the boys
• Received same amount/quality of food as boys
• Could own/control property and
• Could overtake husband ’ s property while he was @ war.
• Expected to defend it too and to put down revolts.
• Not rushed into bearing children.
• Husbands also allowed other men to bed their wives and produce children.
• May have practiced polyandry.

 http://www.history.com/topics/ancienthistory/sparta