Sparta and Athens: City-State Rivals

Sparta and Athens: City-State Rivals

Political Changes

As the Greek city-states grew, there were political changes. The wealthy nobles had seized power from the kings. Owners of small farms did not like the nobles ruling, however. Many of them had borrowed money from the nobles. When the farmers could not repay their loans, the nobles took their farms.

Political Changes

By 650 b.c. merchants and artisans also wanted change. They were not citizens because they did not own land. That meant they did not have a say in ruling the polis

Political Changes Continued

The growing political unrest led to the rise of tyrants. A tyrant is someone who seizes power and rules with total authority. Most of the tyrants who controlled city-states ruled fairly. It was the harshness of a few tyrants that gave the word tyranny its current meaning; rule by a cruel and unjust person.

Multiple Choice

What is a tyrant?

• someone elected by officials

• a president

• an absolute ruler

• a king

Political Changes Continued

The common people and the hoplites, or citizen soldiers, supported the tyrants overthrowing the nobles. Tyrants became more popular by building new marketplaces, temples, and fortresses. Most people in the Greek city-states objected to rule by one person, however. They wanted a government in which all citizens had a say.

Multiple Select

What were the two groups of people who lived in Greek city-states that did not want the nobles to rule?

• tyrants

• helots

• hoplites

• common people

• democrats

Political Changes Continued

Tyrants ruled many Greek city-states until about 500 b.c. Then most Greek city-states changed to either an oligarchy or a democracy. In an oligarchy, a few wealthy people hold power over the larger group of citizens. In a democracy, all citizens have a say in the government. Each polis chose its own type of government.

Multiple Choice

What is an oligarchy?

• citizens get to vote

• a king rules

• a few wealthy people hold power

• a tyrant is in charge

Multiple Choice

What is a democracy?

• wealthy people hold power

• tyranny rules

• hoplites

• citizens get to have a say

Political Changes Continued

Sparta and Athens, two important Greek city-states, had different types of government. They also had very different societies.

Multiple Choice

What is an oligarchy?

• citizens get to vote

• a king rules

• a few wealthy people hold power

• a tyrant is in charge