Sparta and Athens:
Oligarchy vs. Democracy
World History I
The Greek City -State
• Greece was made up of city-states, or polis
– Polis: made up of a city and its countryside
which included numerous villages
• Citizenship of the polis
– Citizens (free adult males) had political rights
and the responsibility of civic participation in
government
– Women and foreigners had no political rights
– Slaves had no political rights
Sparta – Totalitarian Oligarchy
• Definition of
Totalitarianism – a
form of government
that uses force and
power to rule a people
• Oligarchy – Sparta’s
form of totalitarianism
government
– Few ruled over many
Spartan Society
• 3 groups of people in Sparta
– Helots: Spartan slaves (80% of population)
• Provided food and labor to Spartans
• Treated horribly by the Spartans
• Under constant threat of death from Spartans
– Noncitizens
• Free people who paid taxes and served in the
military, but had no political power
• Included farmers, and others who lived and worked
in the city as artisans or traders
Spartan Society
–Equals: controlled Sparta
• Spartan Males: all became warriors
• Goal was to make every male citizen a
part of the military
–Newborn males judged to be weak left to
die
• Spartan Females: taught to be physically
fit, brave, and patriotic
–Main role: birth strong Spartans
Spartan Government
• Executive
– 2 kings elected by the Assembly
• 1 king – ran military
• 1 king – ran domestic affairs
– 5 ephors (magistrates) with unlimited power
• Legislative
– Assembly: all (male) citizens over 30
• Voted on major policies
– Council of Elders: 28 members all over age 60
• Proposed laws to the Assembly
• Judicial: Kings acted as judges
Spartan Military Training
• Age 7: Left home to live in barracks to start
military training
• Went bare foot and wore little clothing (even in the
winter!)
• Received intense military training
• Did learn to read and write, but more focused on
training
• Practiced all forms of athletics
– Wrestling, boxing, etc.
• Married at age 20, but lived in barracks until 30
• Stayed in military until age 60 or death
Athens
• Went through stages of evolution in
government
–Monarchy
–Aristocracy
–Tyranny
–Democracy
Early Athenian Government
• After the monarchy ended, an aristocracy took its place
– Ruled by wealthy landowners who told everyone else what to do
• Draco (born c. 650 BCE) - lawgiver and reformer
– Created first written code around 621
• Made it so all laws had to be written
• Known for harsh penalties – “draconian”
• Tyrants began seizing power
– Gained power through the support of the people
– Usually made promises to earn support but did not follow
through on promises
• Solon (archon in 594 BCE) – tyrant and reformer
– Outlawed selling people into slavery to pay their debt
– Divided citizens into 4 groups based on wealth: wealthiest 2
could hold office
Athens - Democracy
• Definition of Democracy – a form of
government where the people rule
• Direct Democracy – Direct participation of
citizens in government activities and decisions
– Origins of democratic principles
• Public debate
• Duties of the citizen
Athenian Government
• Executive: 9 archons (rulers)
– Power limited by the Assembly
• Legislative
– Council of 500: (male) citizens over 30 and chosen by
the Assembly
• Proposed laws to the Assembly
– Assembly: all male citizens over 20
• Voted on policies and laws
• Full and final power
• Majority ruled
• Judicial
– Court chosen by the Assembly
– Juries were very large
– Used secret ballots to reach verdict
Athenian Society
• All (male) citizens
participated in
governmental activities
• All (male) citizens
equal before the law
• Women, foreigners,
and slaves were not
allowed citizenship
– Had no say in
government
Athenian Youth
• Encouraged to develop artistic and
intellectual talents
• Experienced great development in arts,
philosophy, and politics
– Golden Age of Greece
• Girls were taught to run the house, raise
children, and be seen and not heard
Group Discussion
• Split into groups of 2-3.
• You will be given two quotes to read.
• Discuss amongst your group and determine
which civilization – Athens or Sparta –
that influenced the quote and why.
• Take a guess where or who stated this
quote.
Quotation #1
• “The fundamental motif through all the centuries has been
the principle that force and power are the determining
factors. All development is struggle. Only force rules.
Force is the first law…Only through struggle have states
and the world become great. If one should ask whether
this struggle is gruesome, then the only answer could be –
for the weak, yes, for humanity as a whole, no. Instead of
everlasting struggle, the world preaches cowardly pacifism,
and everlasting peace. These three things, considered in the
light of their ultimate consequences, are the causes of the
downfall of all humanity.”
Which city-state
influenced this
quotation?
Sparta!
Who or what do you think
stated this quotation?
Quotation #1
• This quote is taken
from a speech from
Adolf Hitler in 1926
• Hitler would have
loved Sparta!
• Hitler modeled aspects
of the Nazis after the
Spartans.
Quotation #2
• “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to
secure these rights Governments are instituted
among Men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed.”
What city-state
influenced this quotation?
Athens!
Who or what stated this
quotation?
Quotation #2
• This quote came from
the Declaration of
Independence
• Written by Thomas
Jefferson in 1776
• Founding fathers were
greatly influenced by
Athens and its
philosophers
Conclusion
• Who benefited most in each society – the
rich or poor, males or females?
• Who benefited the least?
• What are the pros and cons of each
civilization?
• Where do we see the seeds of their
governments today?
Homework Assignment
• Use what you learned about Sparta and Athens, and
imagine what it would have been like to have lived
in one of those city-states
• Write a one-page fictional diary entry that describes
your life as an Athenian or Spartan youth
• Your diary entry should include 3 aspects of
Spartan or Athenian life
• Be sure to consider your age and gender.
• Be creative!!