Athens
Vs.
Sparta
Essay Prompt: How were Athens and
Sparta similar or different (by PERSIA
categories)? Use PERSIA categories to
answer.
Government
Athens:
•
•
Democracy
Citizens were free men over 18
Had to be Born to Athenian
parents (after 451 BCE)
Council of 500 met every day
Suggested new laws
Assembly of 6000 met to debate
Issues, vote on laws
• Citizens are proud to serve
and proud of freedoms
• Voting age is 30
Military: Strong navy
Sparta:
•Oligarchy- Ruling power in hands of
few wealthy people
Council of Elders made decisions –
Comprised of 2 kings and 28 men –
had to be 60 years old
Council had power- prepared laws
Assembly met but had no power.
Military: Strong army
Economy
Athens:
Sparta:
•
•
•Farm economy – also relied on
conquering other people
Based on trade
Not enough farmable land
to produce food
• Geography promoted trade with
other city states – Athenians liked
to travel.
• Slaves worked in mines, fields
and in households
• Agora – marketplace where goods
were bought and sold (including
Slaves)
•
Coin system was developed.
•Geography was inland - trade
discouraged-Spartans were
Suspicious of outsiders
•Not enough land so they took from
their neighbors
•Helots (slaves) were conquered
people from other villages that
produced for Sparta.
•Used Iron Rods for Money
Education-Intellectual
Athens:
• Promoted education for boys
• Beginning around age 6-7, boys
went to school. At age 18,
military training began.
Girls: Most did not learn to read
or write. Helped mothers around
The house and were married by
age 15.
Sparta:
All children learned to fight from
around age 7, including girls.
•Barracks were buildings where boys
lived and trained.
•Taught to read and write but not so
Important.
•Boys were taught to suffer through
physical pain –marched all day and
weren’t fed well.
•At 20 – boys were given a fitness test
which determined whether they would
become soldiers.
•Men couldn’t live at home with family
until age 30.
Society
Athens:
Sparta:
Women
Women
•
•
•
•
•Had rights. Spartan women could
own property, remarry if their
husbands were gone too long at
war
No rights, no jobs
Couldn’t own property
Couldn’t choose husbands
Managed households
Slaves
•Most households had at least one slave
•Some born into slavery, others
captured in wars
•Worked in households and tutored
children
•Also worked in mines and farm
•fields
Slaves – called Helots, had some rights
•Could marry whomever they wanted
•Could buy their freedom
•There were more helots than citizens.
•Treated harshly to prevent a revolt
•Government sometimes declared
war on helots
•Slaves were captured people from
Conquered villages and cities