1. Athens v. Sparta

2. A long time ago, in a land far far away...
During the 5th century BCE, Greece was dominated by two powers: Athens and Sparta
These city-states were VERY different in structure and beliefs

3. Athens Sparta Head of the Delian League
Power was based in command of the sea (super strong navy)
Head of the Peloponnesian League
Great land power and controlled many neighboring territories whose peoples were enslaved

4. Athens Sparta
About 150,000 people (40K citizens, 40K slaves, 70K aliens, women, children
By 432 BCE, Athens is the most populous city- state
About 115,000 people
8,000 citizens (adult males)
7,000 women and children
100,000 slaves and semi-freed

5. Government Athens Sparta
Classified as a “direct democracy”
Claims to be the birthplace of democracy
Classified as an oligarchy
Had elements of: monarchy (rule by kings), democracy (election of council/senators) and aristocracy (rule by upper class)

6. Government: Athens
Elected officials: 10 generals, magistrates (judges)
Council of 500: administered the decisions made by the Assembly
Assembly: open to all citizens, passed laws and made policy decisions
Did women participate in the political life of Athens?

7. Government: Sparta
Two kings: generals in charge of the armies, some religious duties
Five overseers: elected annually (every year), ran the day- to-day operations, could veto decisions made by the Council or Assembly
Council of Elders: 28 men over 60 y.o. and elected for life by the citizens and the 2 kings, acted as judges and proposed laws to the Assembly
Assembly: all male citizens 30 or older, voted on proposed laws by shouting out their votes
Did women participate in the political life of Sparta?

8. Social Structure: Athens
Freemen: all male citizens, divided into three classes:
Aristocrats--owned large estates, made up cavalry or was a captain on a boat
Small farmers
Thetes--urban craftsman and boat rowers
Metics: aliens (not born in Athens, not citizens), couldn’t own land but could run businesses and industries (manufacturing)
Slaves: less harshly treated in Athens than most other Greek city-states, had no rights and an owner could kill a slave. Some were given important roles (like policemen)
Women had no rights in Athenian democracy

9. Social Structure: Sparta
Spartiates: military professionals who lived mostly in barracks, land owners whose serfs worked their land, could vote
Outsiders (“Perioeci”): freemen, included artisans, merchants, craftsmen, could not vote or serve in army
Helots: serfs (slaves tied to land) descended from those taken over by Sparta, constantly rebelling, treated like slaves, and required to give 1/2 of their crops to the Spartiates owning the land
Women had few rights in Sparta

10. Military Athens Sparta
Most powerful navy in the Mediterranean
Strong army
Most trained and feared fighters on land

11. Life Style and Values Athens Sparta
Democratic values
Participation in government was a civic responsibility
Believed themselves to be culturally superior
Militaristic values
Children taught to get along with nothing (spartan)
Citizens not permitted to own gold or silver or luxuries
Children taught to respect elderly, women, and warriors

12. Male Education: Athens
5-14 y.o. (5-18 if wealthy): schools taught reading, writing, mathematics, music, poetry, sports, and gymnastics
If he went on to the academy: also learned philosophy, ethics, and rhetoric (persuasive public speaking)
Military training camp for two years
Metics: expected only to get a basic education, but could go further if so desired

13. Male Education: Sparta
Boys taken from home at 7 y.o. and trained in warfare
Only given a cloak- no shoes or other clothes and purposefully not enough food forcing them to steal to learn survival skills
20 y.o: placed into higher ranks of the military
30 y.o: could marry but still lived in barracks with other soldiers
Educated in choral dance, reading, and writing, but athletics and military training stressed

14. Female Education Athens Sparta
Received little formal education (except for the aristocrats who may have had private tutors)
Generally kept at home
Taught spinning, weaving, and other domestic arts
Started education at 7 y.o. (same as boys)
Taught reading, writing, gymnastics, athletics, and survival skills
Allowed to participate in sports

15. Role of Women: Athens Kept at home, rarely seen in public
No participation in sports or politics
Wives considered property of their husbands
Responsible for all aspects of managing a household-meal planning and preparation, slaves, cleaning, spinning, weaving, etc…
Some women held high posts in religious life

16. Role of Women: Sparta
Treated more like equals: goal was to produce women who would have strong healthy babies
Having children was considered equal to military service
Assigned a husband at 18
Could move around and enjoy a great deal of freedom (if they weren’t slaves)
House stuff was left to lower classes and slaves
Could own and control their own property
Expected to oversee husband’s property and guard it from invaders and revolts while he was away at war.

17. Food & Shelter Athens Sparta
Enjoyed luxuries and foods from all over the Mediterranean (big navy=lots of trade)
Wealthy Athenians homes were built around a courtyard, some even had “plumbing”
Trained to dislike fancy food and luxuries
“Spartan Broth”= pork, blood, salt, and vinegar
Men lived most of their lives in military barracks, away from their families

18. Cultural Achievements Athens Sparta
Architecture
Drama
Literature
Philosophy
Medicine
Science
DEMOCRACY
Military supremacy
Concept of a simple life