Athens vs. Sparta

Athens Vs. Sparta

Totalitarian Sparta

3. Totalitarianism – government regulates all

aspects of society: (Strict government control =

nopersonal freedom)

Totalitarianism

regulates all

strict

control

freedom

1. Warrior society (all resources go into

training soldiers).

SPARTA

Warrior society all

soldiers

SPARTA

Military school age

7

Chosen - by age 20 tested
for fitness, military ability,
and leadership skills. If
passed became a citizen

Soldier until Age 60

Strong Army

ATHENS

1. Ancient Athens = 1stDemocracy in history!

England 1600’s

United States 1776

Athens

democracy

Golden age of Athens

Philosophy

literature

Art & architecture

science

mathematics

Boys trained by
running, boxing, and
wrestling.

At age 18, they were
required to attend 2
years of military school

Military was mostly from
middle to upper-class

Naval power
fighting

ATHENS

1. Worshipped the same gods.

zeusHera

athena

aphrodite

Poseidon

Apollo

Greek “Cultural” Unity

2. Greek alphabet.

Greek “Cultural” Unity

3. The Olympic Games.

Greek “Cultural” Unity

•Military Society

•Women

Obey Men

•Monarchy With Two Kings

•Common
Language

•Laws Made by an

Assembly

•Olympic
Games

•Trade With Other

City-States

•Only Male Citizens

Could Vote

•Girls Trained to be
Mothers of Soldiers

•Limited Direct

Democracy

•Trade & Travel

Not Allowed

•Military Training

For Boys

•Polytheistic

The ancient Athenians were a unique people. They believed that individuals should be free as
long as they acted within the laws of Athens. This allowed them the opportunity to excel in any
direction they chose. Individuality, as the Athenians viewed it, was the basis of their society. The
ability to strive for excellence, no matter what the challenge, was what the Athenians so dearly

believed in. This strive for excellence was the method from which they achieved such phenomenal

accomplishments. These accomplishments astound us to this day. They also believed in the

balance of mind and body. Although many of them strove to become soldiers and athletes, others

ventured into philosophy, drama, pottery and the arts.

Athenian society

In the year 507 B.C., the Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced a system of political reforms that
he called demokratia, or “rule by the people.” Although this Athenian democracy would survive

for only two centuries, Cleisthenes’ invention was one of ancient Athen’s most enduring

contributions to the modern world. In 508 BC, Athens became one of the first societies in ancient

times to formally establish a democracy. This form of government was used at a meeting place
which the Athenians called the Assembly. Here the citizens of Athens met monthly and discussed

the affairs of state. No decisions made by government without first asking the Assembly.

Athens was the intellectual center of Greece. It was one of the first city-states of its time, and is

still world renowned as one of the most famous cities in the world. It was named after Athena, the

goddess of wisdom and the city's patron

In ancient Sparta, boys at aged seven years old left their homes and entered the public educational

system to devote the rest of their lives to the state. The goal of this system of education was to
produce a well-drilled military machine composed of soldiers who were "obedient to the word of

command, capable of enduring hardships and victories in battle."

The militaristic culture of Sparta fostered values which emphasized the production of "strong,

violent, disciplined, unquestioning and ruthless young men, and more or less similar young

women" They "prided themselves on brute strength, courage and brevity of speech,".

Spartan society

In sharp contrast to Athens was its rival Sparta. Sparta had not joined the other Greek cities in

trade and colonization but had expanded instead by conquering and enslaving its neighbors. To

guard against revolts by the state slaves (helots), who worked the land for their conquerors,

Sparta deviated from the normal course of Greek political development and transformed itself into

a militaristic totalitarian state.

State officials examined all newborn children, and any found sickly or deformed were abandoned

to die.