1. ATHENS SPARTA Geography & History Near sea with good port
Never conquered by Dorians
In valley not so close to sea
Dorians conquered it and enslaved the local people
Government
Council of 500: proposes laws; chosen by lottery; any one can participate
Assembly: passes laws; all male citizens; only body that can declare war
Jury: 5000 citizens chosen at random
Council members and jury get paid!
Anyone can talk at Assembly meetings
Practice of ostracism
Annual decision – should we have?
Pot shard: if >6K then highest # wins
Exiled for 10 yrs. but can return
Safety valve
Two kings (each from old tribal family)
Council of Elders (Senate) of kings
Council elected by land owners
Had to be 60 yrs. old; served for life
Assembly – all citizens but not powerful, can only vote yes/no on laws; often ignored; little debate
Ephors: 5 chosen annually; can bring charges against king and have him exiled
Real power in hands of rich families
Military
All 18 year old male citizens serve for 2 years; then go into reserves
All male citizens in military for life; not allowed to have any other job!
Soldiers has helots to farm their land’ had to give some to state and could keep the rest
Citizenship
Males over 18
Father had to a citizen
Citizens = 15% of population (families of citizens = 48%, metics = 12%; slaves = 25%)
Males age 30
If deemed a coward, you are stripped of citizenship; sisters can’t marry; must yield to citizens on street, etc. – very shameful
Life of Children
Boys more prized than girls
Wealthy boys get private education: reading/writing, arithmetic, art, athletics
Girls stay home and learn crafts & poetry from mothers
Girls marry at around 15 yrs. old
Baby boys given to state for life/death decision
7 yrs. old => barracks; overseen by older boys, one cloak, no shoes, sleep on floor, little food (can steal if not caught); military training + reading/writing
Age 20 => can marry but not live w/wife
Age 30 => can live at home but still eat with troop
Intended to breed toughness, uniformity
Life of Women/Girls
Not allowed to leave home except for festivals
Didn’t get any education
Strong physical education – running, dancing, wrestling (all nude), chorus
Marry at 15
More legal rights than elsewhere but can’t be in politics
Important because they produce fighters
Slavery
25% of population were slaved
They could work & get paid
They could buy their freedom
Slaves = 25:1 ratio with citizens
Many slave rebellions
Slaves owned by state (helots)
Assigned to work on farms
Culture and Other
Trading based economy
Not as many slaves so average citizens needed to do own farming and trading
Fames for art, music, literature, drama, architecture, philosophy; welcomed foreigners to live
Farming based society
Didn’t welcome outsiders
Never liked to fight far from home