Athens and Sparta

Athens Public Life Agora Public Buildings Public market, meeting place Center of public life Vendors (food, art, wool, cloth, books…) Mostly men Public Buildings Temples and Gov. buildings line Agora Greek Architecture

Athens Private Life Homes made of mud bricks, simple. Women Courtyard surrounded by rooms Men, women, slaves all separated. Women Secluded lives at home (for protection) Very little freedoms Ran the home and family

Athens Slavery Common in Athens and all of Greece An estimated 1/3 of Athenian population. 100,000 POWs, usually foreigners, passed down from mother Not considered citizens, bottom social class. Could buy freedom or be freed by their masters Slave labor made the Greek life possible.

Sparta Growing up in Sparta Males At age 7 left to live in barracks Trained for 13 years Only given one cloak, thin mat, very little food (urged to steal) Age 20 officially a soldier, released at 60 Age 30 became part of the assembly

Sparta Growing up in Sparta Females Also trained in hand-to-hand combat Strong, healthy women = strong, healthy babies Could own land and businesses Run things while men were at war Answered to men

Sparta Spartan Attitude Always put the cities needs above your own No sissies allowed Helots (slaves) Conquered people owned by Sparta (the city-state) Worked the land while Spartans waged war

The Aegean at War The Persian Invasion 499BC-449BC Cyrus the Great Mid-500s BC began expanding empire 520BC Persians gain control of distant Greek colonies Battle of Marathon Greeks unite to defend against Persians

The Aegean at War The Rise of Athens After Persian War, Athens rises as most powerful Delian League Athens in charge Used the League for its own purposes Political freedom at home, suppressed other city-states Paid tribute

The Aegean at War The Peloponnesian War Sparta did not join Delian League City-states begin to resent/fear Athens Look to Sparta for protection Form Peloponnesian League 431BC – 401BC Athens vs. Sparta

The Aegean at War The Peloponnesian War Athens- strong navy and wealth, bad location (vulnerable) Sparta- warrior culture, inland Athens brings people into city for protection Overcrowded, Plague Power struggles Sparta allies with Persians, navy Blockade 405BC Athens surrenders 404BC