Sparta Vs. Athens

Throughout the ancient world there were two dominating empires. (S) The Athenian City (polis) and the Spartan empire. These two cities were both powerful and famous but significantly different. However, the city of Athens was by far a much more influential and powerful city-state in comparison to Sparta. Although both the city-states had their own strengths such as their government, social structure and their military tactics, Athens was a pivotal city that still to this day effects our way of life. On the other hand all of the Spartan traditions have been lost and forgotten.

If you had the choice to live in Athens or Sparta, which one would you choose and why?

strategically important colony of Corinth. Fighting ensued, and the Athenians then took steps that explicitly violated the Thirty Years’ Treaty. Sparta and its allies accused Athens of aggression and threatened war.

If I had the choice to live in Athens or Sparta, which would I choose? This is a very interesting question. As a woman, I would be tempted to say Sparta, as Spartan women had freedoms unheard of in Athens. But this freedom comes at a high cost. Being a Spartan mother means handing over your sons at the age of seven to the state to be raised as a warrior. (Brand, n.d., p. 6) I am not sure I could so willingly hand over my child at such a young age knowing he would be a soldier.

Although they pursued different cultural paths, Sparta and Athens were both strongly shaped by their geographical circumstances.

Sparta, also known as Lacedaemon, is a city-state located in Greece. In the beginning King Darius of Persia started invading the mainland of Greece in order to expand his empire. King Darius would later have a son named Xerxes and he would be the ruler to lead Persia into another war. However, the first war was located at Marathon, Athens, Greece. The second war took place at Thermopylae, Greece. I’m not going to lie, it is all a bit confusing to keep track of, but it’s the history of ancient Greece; I don’t think it’s supposed to be simple. So here, let me explain it to you.

City-states in Greece show the civilization diversities in ancient Greece civilization. When living in Greece, you spoke the same language, believed in the same gods and shared a common heritage. Not for these two city states. Sparta and Athens. The most famous city-states out of all 1,500 city-states. Between these two, I would like to live in Sparta.

Athens and Sparta were incompatible by principle. Athens was admired for its progressive philosophy, art, music, science, and politics while Sparta was primarily known as a military dictatorship. While sitting back in my chair to consider whether I would choose to live in Athens or Sparta, it is sure; there is a natural answer to this question. However, it would ill serve the purpose of this journal to not ponder about these poleis. Life in Sparta must have been difficult from the beginning to the end. The idea of handing over a baby for an elder to decide if the child will pass the first evaluation seems incomprehensible. Laws may have existed to enforce the approval process, but how did parents accept their position in Spartan culture? Were

Sparta and Athens went to war. But eventhough they went to war they had similarties and differences. Between goverment they were different. Also, both were located in Greece. In this essay I will compare and contrast Sparta and Athens.

Athens and Sparta were two great Hellenic city states. They were also thoroughly different from each other. Athens was defined as a democracy while Sparta thrived as a monarchy. Even though Athens and Sparta were Hellenic poleis they were different in terms of their politics, economics, and social development.

Ancient Athens and Sparta were neighboring regions of Greece yet they were worlds apart in political views and rule. Athens was run under dictatorship rule while Sparta were followers of Democracy. Observing history and how it all unfolded, the birth of Democracy was born in Athens and the Western Culture has much to owe Athens for this huge milestone in our Modern times.

The city of Ancient Sparta did not have wall. Its walls were its strong warriors, young men equip with spears and shields. This radically unique city was unparalleled compared to cities in its time and present day. The ideals related to the equality males and females were some of the most unique aspects of Sparta. Women had power and responsibility in their own right. Its strict militaristic mentality was the backbone of its well-run city which was unlike the city of ancient Athens. Athens was dynamic and open to the world yet its democracy excluded people. Although good order was important, women played the part of dutiful wife, not being seen or heard as a valuable part of society. Sparta and Athens were radically different in its

Dating back to 449 B.C., Sparta and Athens always had an alliance, but as time grew that balance slowly began to fall as one felt threatened by another. Before any sight of unsteadiness the Spartans and Athenians had a bound partnership. Beginning after their domination of the Persian war, the two states slowly became aware of one another’s growing power. More time went by, and the Spartans began to grow conscious of the other states, feeling wary and paranoid around them (Fox, 170). No state was particularly to blame for the strain on their peace treaty, nor for the war, it came as the two states developed. Eventually the two states had clashed enough and declared war. Although the Spartans gave the Athenians a chance to back down and temporarily stall war, the two states would never be equal, their allies resented one another far too much. The growing urge for power was bound to take over sooner or later. Finally, after 7 years of uneasy tension, Sparta could wait no longer and declared war against Athens (Fox, 167). Although the Athenians and Spartans lived together in peace for so long, they existed in a fragile balance that was bound to eventually lead to war.

Athens and Sparta were powerful Greek city-states and the most famous cities in Greece. Although they were very close to each other geographically, they were so different in the values, lifestyle, and cultures.

Looking into the societal structure of Ancient Greece it is well established that Sparta and Athens were the two most well know compacted city-states. Athens was honored as the middle ground of intelligence and learning. The people of Athens were engrossed in arts, drama and academic pursuits. Sparta on the other hand, was acknowledged for its military strength. A Spartans life was focused on the position of the state, because now he lived and died to benefit the state. Although the competing city-states of Sparta and Athens were individually antithetical as well as governmentally different, they both managed to annex dominating powers in Ancient Greece.