Written Assignment Unit 1
How did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community? Who held public office? What rules governed the selection of public office holders? How were the two city-states similar in their governmental structures? How did they differ?
Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato were all born in Ancient Greece, which is rich in history. These great individuals' works have had a huge impact on how the modern world is modeled and governed today. They, in turn, existed during ancient Greece's glory. Athens
and Sparta, the two most powerful states in Greece at the time, receive a lot of attention in history.
According to Brand (2018), the two states were politically very different. In Sparta, becoming a soldier is the most important requirement for social relevance. If one is a citizen, this ensures membership in an assembly with the power to pass laws and elect relevant officials. The extent of power or social standing in Athens is determined by wealth or aristocracy, or both.
However, in order to have political power, one must be elected by the assembly. This applies to both states and comes into play when it comes to public office. The two kings are not elected; they are ascended to their thrones in the traditional manner. Any citizen, aristocrat or not, was eligible to run for office. However, to be eligible for the Gerousia, one must be at least 60 years old. Aristocrats and the wealthy have more power in Athens
and Sparta if they are citizens, and they can be elected to public office. This is the most striking and significant resemblance between the two states. There are two kings in Sparta, but none in Athens. That is the main point of distinction between them.
Reference:
Athens & sparta - university of the people
. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://my.uopeople.edu/pluginfile.php/57436/mod_book/chapter/38899/
HIST1421.U1.Athens.Sparta.pdf
