WHI: SOL 5c
Sparta
Life in Athens
• Men participated in government and politics
• Women had no role in government, but had a
very public role in religion
• Women ran the households
• Weaving, spinning, caring for children,
preparing food
• Women could not go out in public unescorted
Education
• Girls received little or no education
• Boys learned to read and write, studied
poetry, music, practiced public speaking
• Boys received military training and
participated in athletic competition but were
encouraged to explore many areas of
knowledge
• **Athenians placed emphasis on a welleducated man in government
Sparta
• Oligarchy (rule by a small group)
– Two kings and a council of elders
– An assembly made up of all citizens approved all
major decisions
• Rigid social structure
• Militaristic and aggressive society
Education
• Babies were evaluated at birth, those too small or
weak were left to die
• Boys were taken from their families at age 7 and
moved into barracks
– They ate coarse food, wore minimal clothing, and no
shoes
– Trained to fight daily, encouraged to steal food, severe
beatings for transgressions
• At age 20 a man could marry but he had to
continue living in the barracks for another 10
years and eat there for another 40 years
Women
• Women were expected to be the mothers of
strong Spartan soldiers
• Girls and women were required to exercise
and strengthen their bodies
• Women could inherit property
• While men were at war, women often ran
households and businesses
Spartan Military
• Developed the phalanx- a tactical formation of
heavily armed foot soldiers
• Sparta was isolated from other city-states
• Travel was forbidden to their citizens
• Spartans looked down on wealth and trade,
had no use for the arts or new ideas