Chapter 27
Life in Two City-States: Athens
and Sparta
27.2: Comparing Two CityStates
• Athens
o Located in Central Greece
o Athenians liked to travel
o They encouraged artists to come share their
knowledge of art and architecture
o Developed strong relationships with other citystates
o Grew powerful through
trade
• Sparta
o Was more isolated
o Located on a plain between mountains
• Peloponnesus
o Suspicious of outsiders and their ideas
o Grew what they needed around Sparta
• Took what they didn’t have by force
o Valued strength and simplicity
• Taught sons and daughters to fight
• Produced soldiers instead of artists and
thinkers
o Athens and Sparta were bitter
enemies
27.3: Athenian Government
• Democracy
o Only free men could be citizens
• all men over the age of 18 born in Athens
were citizens
o Every citizen could take part in the city’s
government
• Council of 500 met every day
o Every year names of all citizens 30 years old
and older were collected and 500 were
chosen.
• Ran day-to-day business of government and
suggested new laws
o Laws had to be approved by the Assembly
• Met every 10 days
• 6000 citizens had to be present for the
meeting to take place
• If not enough showed up, slaves would round
up citizens
o Assembly
• Debated and voted proposed laws
• Every citizen had the right to speak
o Water clock was used to time
• One cup was set above another with
the water dripping in the bottom cup
27.4: Athenian Economy
• Economy based on trade because
land could not provide enough food
• Traded with other city-states and
foreign lands to get goods and other
natural resources
o Wood from Italy
o Grain from Egypt
• Bought and sold goods at the agora
• Agora
o Huge marketplace
o Merchants sold goods in small stands
o People bought lettuce, onions, olive oil, wine,
and other foods
o Bought household items like pottery, furniture,
and clay oil lamps
o Leather sandals and jewelry were very popular
o Slaves were bought and sold
• Coins
o Made out of gold, silver, and bronze
o Image on one side had a picture of Athena, the
other side Athena’s favorite animal, the owl
27.5: Education in Athens
• Main purpose
o Produce good citizens
• Boys and girls were educated
differently
o Boys
• Until 6 or 7, were educated at home
• 6-14, went to school
o Teachers taught reading, writing, arithmetic
and literature
o Books were read aloud because they were
expensive
o The boys had to memorize everything
o They used writing tablets
o Coaches taught sports
• Wrestling and gymnastics to strengthen
muscles
o Studied music
• They learned to sing and play the lyre
• At 18, they begin their military training
• After their service, wealthy young men might
study with private teachers
o Charged high fees for lessons in debate
and public speaking, which would help
them to become political leaders
o Girls
• Did not learn to read or write
• Grew up helping their mothers
• Were taught to cook, clean, spin thread, and
weave cloth
• Some learned ancient songs and dances for
religious festivals
• Usually married around 15
o Wealthy families the father chose
o Poorer families had more choice
27.6: Women and Slaves
in Athens
• Women were not considered citizens
o
o
o
o
Had fewer rights than men
Could not inherit or own much property
Could not vote or attend the Assembly
Most couldn’t even choose their own husband
• Only a few had a job
o Some sold goods in the market
o Some were priestesses
o Most spent their time in the home
• Managing the household and bringing up the
children
• She had separate rooms and never went out
alone
• She would spin, weave, and supervise slaves
• Educated her sons until 6 or 7 and her
daughters until 15, when they married
• Slaves
o If person was not poor, owned at least 1
o Some were born into slavery
o Others were captured in wars
o Performed a variety of jobs
• Ran households
• Tutored children
• Trained as craftsmen
• Worked in farms or factories
• Some worked as clerks
• Unluckiest worked in the silver mines.
o 10 hours a day
o 300 feet below the surface
27.7: Spartan Government
• Oligarchy
o Even though there was an Assembly, all decisions
were made by the Council of Elders
• Council of Elders
o Made up of 2 kings and 28 men
o The kings inherited their power and shared
equally
o Other 28 members were elected by the
Assembly
• Men had to be at least 60 years old and from
a noble family
• Served for life
o Held the real power
o Prepared laws for the Assembly to vote on
o Had the power to stop any laws passed by the
Assembly
• Assembly
o Made up of male citizens
o Met in a large outdoor area away from the
center of the city
o Had very little power
o Did not debate issues
o Could only vote “yes” or “no” on laws suggested
by the Council of Elders
27.8: Spartan Economy
• Relied on farming and conquering
other people
o Didn’t enough land to feed all its people
o Took land they needed from neighbors
o Used slaves and noncitizens to produce need
goods
o Turned conquered neighbors into slaves (helots)
• Lived in their own villages, but had to give
food they grew to the Spartans
• Noncitizens
o Called perioikoi
o Free men, not slaves
o Served in the army when needed, but couldn’t
take part in the government
o Made necessary items such as shoes, red cloaks,
iron tools, and pottery
• Discouraged trade
o Feared contact with other city-states would lead
to new ideas that would weaken the
government.
27.9: Education in Sparta
• Purpose was to produce men and
women to protect the city-state
o A baby that appeared weak might be left to die
• Spartans valued discipline and
strength
o From the age of 7 all Spartan children were
trained to fight
o Girls even received military training
o They learned wrestling, boxing, footracing, and
gymnastics
o Spartan boys lived in barracks
• They were taught to read and write
• Most important thing was to be a
brave soldier
o Spartan boys were taught to suffer any amount
of physical pain without complaining
o They marched without shoes
o They were not fed well and were told to steal
food
o At 20, Spartan men were given a difficult test of
fitness, military ability, and leadership skills
• Pass  become Spartan soldiers and full
citizens
o A man could not live with his wife and family until
after he was 30 years old
27.10: Women and Slaves in
Sparta
• Spartan women lived the same simple
life as Spartan men
o Wore plain clothing with little decoration
o Did not wear jewelry or use cosmetics or perfume
o Were expected to be strong and healthy and
ready to fight
o Was expected to look after her husband’s
property in times of war
• Guard against invaders and slave revolts
• Women’s rights
o Free to speak with their husband’s friends
o Own and control their own property
o Could marry another man if their husband was
away too long
• Spartan slaves
Called helots
People conquered by the Spartans
More helots than citizens
Government sometimes declared war on the
helots to stop a rebellion
o Had some rights
• Could marry whoever and whenever they
wanted
o
o
o
o
o Could pass their names on to their children
o They could sell any extra crops after their master
his share.
o If they saved enough, they could even buy their
freedom