Athens And Sparta Comparison Essay

The city-states Athens and Sparta were rivals in ancient Greece. Geographically the two were very close to each other, but they had a very different economy, cultural values, and way of governing. Both city-states had two very different ways of doing things. I will be highlighting the major differences.

     As we look back upon the two significant differences in the governmental systems of Sparta and Athens, there are also many other characteristics that distinguish the differences and similarities of these two city states. The difference in land as well as population perceives a relative historical comparison. Sparta lacked land area and was forced to seek other land in the fertile plain of Messenia. Although, if we look at the Athens, we see that they had no issues with plentiful land, as they possessed large and populous territory.

Athens and Sparta are the two famous city-states in Ancient Greece. The Athens was more superior then Sparta. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens.

During the times of Ancient Greece, two major forms of government existed, democracy and oligarchy. The city-states of Athens and Sparta are the best representatives of democracy and oligarchy, respectively. The focus of the times was directed towards military capabilities, while the Athenians were more interested in comfort and culture. It was the oligarchy in Sparta that put a war-like attitude as its first priority and best met the needs of Ancient Greece. These factors empowered Sparta and led to the development of an authoritative and potent state. Other contrasting issues included women’s rights, social classes, and value of human life.

In the period known as classical Greece in the years 800-323 BCE, Greece comprised of small city states (poleis) which were considered and operated as independent small countries. Amongst those city states Athens and Sparta were two of the most powerful and considered in Greek history as the most influential states to western civilisation. These two city states shared some common characteristics whilst in some instances they were very different from each other. Sparta and Athens had differences and similarities in the way they governed their city states, in how they established their military forces, how they treated women, their marriage customs and social gatherings

Known as the strongest smallest military in ancient Greece with a government ruled by imperial rulers and having a hard working society. Sparta was better than Athens because it was stronger militarily and was more orderly in society and government. I would rather be a Spartan because its repsents a force of strength and power. Stronger powerful better trained army that, include a society with citizens that were more ready for war than Athenian. Government structure that was imperial and had all the resources a civilization would need to have a society.

Because of overpopulation, Sparta conquered many of it’s neighbors, making it the largest Polis in Greece. The Spartans were comfortable with their large amount of land, but they were grossly outnumbered by their slaves who eventually rebelled. To protect itself in the future, Sparta formed the pelopanisian league and created the military academy to insure their men would be prepared for battle. The Polis of Athens formed from a very small community but became what many consider the center of art and culture in ancient Greece. Athens was known for trade, as the city was very agricultural. Before the start of the Peloponnesan war, Athens had accumulated great power in Greece and controlled the majority of the coastal areas.

Ancient Greece was comprised of small city-states, of which Sparta and Athens were two. Athens was renowned as a center of wisdom and learning. The people of Athens were interested in arts, music, and intellectual pursuits. Sparta, on the other hand, was recognized for its military strength. A Spartan's life was centered on the state, because he lived and died to serve the state. Although the competing city-states of Sparta and Athens were individually different as well as governmentally diverse, they both managed to become dominating powers in Ancient Greece.

Spartan elders and kings were also very serious about the preservation of the Spartan’s history, culture and way of life. This is why they did not encourage foreigners to visit Sparta or anything that may corrupt their way of life. Sparta did not leave behind much art, literature or historic artifacts; but they considered their everyday life or the way that they lived to be a masterpiece all its own.

Ancient Greece consisted of several hundred polies or city states. Many of them were villages or small towns, but there were two big and powerful Greek polies, Athens and Sparta.

In opposition to the Spartans, Athenians lived very social lives. They spent there days in the agora; to meet family and friends, wander around to see foreign foods or go to the boarder to gossip. Other actives include; exercise in the 'palestra', relaxing in public baths, festivals and parties. Gambling and drinking however, were the chief activities in the night such as cock fighting and games of dice. Socially, Sparta and Athens had many things in common however, they also came into conflict about many aspects of social life.

Athens and Sparta had many differences throughout the years that they lived. Sparta was more of a militaristic city-state that had strong armies and tactical skill to defeat and defend against enemies. While on the other hand Athen was more of a education based society to out think there enemies. Sparta had the best military out of them because kids at age seven started to train for the military. Sparta’s male kids was born to be in there military.Also females were trained in combat, but not as much as males where. Athens military was ok not better than Sparta’s military, but Athen’s did have the best naval fleet at their advantage. Most of the wars though were fought on land so the big fleet did not help as much. Athen’s society was based

The Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations were the first two cultures to evolve in Greece. The Minoans occupied the island of Crete. The Mycenaean’s began in Southern Greece before acquiring more land. They were both located around the Aegean Sea which they learned to sail to trade with other cultures and for fishing.

​There are two main periods in Greece history, Hellenic and Hellenistic period. They have some similarities but they are significantly different. Many people believe that the Classical era is the most impressive due to the success in literature, science, philosophy and architecture, which does not mean that the Ancient Greece is less significant. While in Hellenic era they saw rising and falling of the polis in Hellenistic era it was more about war and fighting for among the prevailing dynasties. The thing that they have in common is that they were consistent in discovering new philosophies and science also decreasing the role of gods.

Sparta and Athens societies and values were different as well. As stated in Document E Lycurgus, lawgiver of Sparta, did not allow Spartans to leave the city. This was done because he did not want them to adapt to foreign influences. All of these values/beliefs were based on one thing, to keep the Spartan soldiers strong and disciplined. In Athens Pericles boasts about how Athens is open to all which results in cultural diffusion (Document F). When Athens had festivals everyone except for slaves