Sparta
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In the late 1100’s B.C.
invaders from the north
had overrun most of the
Peloponnesus and made
Sparta their capital.
Spartan society was
made up of three
groups:
 1) Equals
 2) Half Citizens
 3) Helots
Pg. 1
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The Equals were descendents from the early
invaders and they controlled the city-state.
Half Citizens were free, paid taxes, and served
in the army but they had no political power
because they were not born in Athens.
Helots were the lowest group in Sparta. They
were the slaves in the city-state and greatly
outnumbered the Spartans.
Spartans had to use force and terrorized the
Helots to keep them from rebelling.
Pg. 2
Government
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Pg. 3
Sparta controlled the lives of citizens from
birth to death.
All male citizens were expected to take part in
the military.
A group of officials examined the newborn
babies and any unhealthy child was left to die.
At age 7 boys were taken away to start military
training along with learning to read and write.
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At age 18-20 they trained for war and at age 20
they could finally get married. However, even
though they were married they could not live
at home until the age of 30.
Men remained in the military until the age of
60 years old until they could retire.
Spartan girls were also trained and had to be
strong and healthy, they thought healthy
mothers would help make healthy babies.
Both boys and girls studied music to learn
discipline and coordination.
Pg. 4
This training by the Spartan city led to a strong
government and an almost unbeatable army.
 Sparta was run by 2 kings, one who stayed at home,
while the other led the army.
 5 Ephors were elected to 1-year terms who made sure
the kings stayed within the law.
 Spartans paid a high price for their power, they gave
up most of their individual freedom.
 Since Spartans were very militaristic, they created
little in art, philosophy, literature or science.
Pg. 5
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Athens
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Athens: Athenian Society Pg. 6
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Athens is located on the Attic peninsula, one of
the least fertile areas in Greece.
Citizens formed the top group in Athenian
society which could be aristocrats or poor
farmers.
Only Athenian born men had full political rights.
Female citizens could not vote or hold office.
The next group in Athenian society was the
Metics.
Metics were non-citizens because they were
born outside Athens and usually worked as
merchants or artisans.
 Metics were free and paid the same taxes but
they could not take part in government or own
land.
 Slaves were at the bottom of society and were
captured during times of war.
 Slaves were owned by masters and treated as
property.
 Sometimes masters freed slaves who then
became Metics.
Pg. 7
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Athens Early Government
Pg. 8
First Athens was a monarchy then an
Aristocracy.
 Only citizens who owned land could hold
office.
 All adult males citizens met in an assembly
and elected generals in time of war. They
also elected nine Archons who served one
year terms.
 Early on Athens’s laws were not written
down. In 621 B.C. an Archon named Draco
created Athens’s first written law code.
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Draco’s laws were so harsh and severe that
today they call a harsh law a Draconian law.
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Poor citizens and farmers were sold into
slavery to pay for their debts.
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An archon named Solon settled this dispute
by erasing debts of the poor and outlawing
slavery for debt. He also freed people who
had become slaves to pay their debts.
Peisistratus ruled over Athens as a tyrant and
improved Athens economy in the process.
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Pg. 9
In 507 B.C. Cleisthenes seized power in Athens
and turned it into a democracy. He divided
Athens into 10 tribes and each had to choose 50
men that formed the Council of 500.
 Members of the council served for 1 year and
could not be chosen more than twice.
 Under Cleisthenes, Athens was a direct
democracy.
 Direct Democracy- all citizens participate directly
in making decisions.
 Representative Democracy- citizens elect
representatives to govern them.
Pg. 10
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Daily Life in Athens: Economy
Most citizens were farmers who grew
olives, grapes, and figs.
 Trade was very important to Athens
society.
 Athens exported olive oil, wine, and
household items.
 Athens imported grain and other
foodstuffs.
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Pg. 11
Home & Family Life Pg. 12
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Most Athenian families lived in simple homes.
Athenians believed that money should be spent
on buildings that would benefit the whole
community.
People in Athens built one-story houses, made
of sun-dried brick.
Marriage and family life were important too.
Parents always arranged marriages.
Girls married young at age 13 or 14 and their
husbands may be twice her age or older.
The main purpose of marriage was to have
children.
 If a family could not afford to raise a child,
the baby may be left to die, especially if it
was a girl.
 Athenian women legally and socially were
considered inferior to men. They were
citizens but could not own or inherit property.
 Women’s duties included managing the
household and slaves and raising children.
 At home women were expected to stay in the
background
Pg. 13
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Mothers took care of all the children until the
age of 6.
 At age 7, boys came under the care of their
pedagogue which was a male slave who taught
the boy manners. The pedagogue went
everywhere with boy, including school.
 Girls stayed at home and learned to run a
household but usually received no education.
 However, wealthy girls were taught to read and
write.
Pg. 14
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Education & Military Service
Most Athenians were poor and hardworking,
working long hours with little leisure time.
 Athenians placed great value on literacy and
education.
 Athenian boys studied reading, writing,
grammar, poetry, music, and gymnastics. They
learned poetry by heart including Homer’s Iliad
and the Odyssey.
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Pg. 15
Sophists- opened schools for older boys.
Sophists took their name from the Greek
word “sophos” meaning “wise”.
 At these schools they studied
mathematics, ethics, and rhetoric.
 Ethics- deals with what is good and bad
and moral duty.
 Rhetoric- study of oratory or public
speaking and debating.
 At age 18 males received a year of military
training and became hoplites in the army.
Pg. 16
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