Sparta and Athens

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Sparta and Athens
Agenda

• What do we know?
• Sparta and Athens

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I. Sparta The Military Ideal

• A. Established by invaders from the north who
  conquered the Peloponnesus.
• Conquered people called helots.
• Established Sparta in a valley, not on a hill.
• B. Spartan Society
• Three social groups (classes)
• Equals descended from invaders controlled the
  city-state.
• Half-citizens free, but without political power
  farmers, traders, industry. They served in the
  army.
• Helots Slaves who made up the majority of the
  population. Controlled by force.

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I. Sparta The Military Ideal

• C. Government in Sparta
• Two kings one for the army and one for home.
• Council of elders 28 men who proposed laws and
  acted as a criminal court.
• Assembly
• Voted on laws proposed by elders.
• Elected 5 ephors to one-year terms to make sure
  the kings obeyed the law.

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I. Sparta The Military Ideal

• D. Life in Spartas military society
• Controlled the life of all citizens especially
  helots.
• Unhealthy babies left to die.
• At 7 boys went to military school. Learned
  reading/writing and trained for the military.
  From 18-20 trained exclusively for war.
• At 20 could marry, but could not live at home
  until they were 30. Served in the military until
  60.
• Girls received physical training and studied
  music (for discipline and coordination).
• Gave up individual freedom for an unbeatable
  army.
• No art, literature, philosophy or science from
  Sparta.

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II. Athens The birth of democracy.

• Unfertile land leads Athenians to become sea
  traders.
• Introduced coined money in 600s BCE
• City built inland, but constructed port for
  trading.
• Athenian Society
• Citizens Athenian born men.
• Metics non-citizens - free merchants and
  artisans.
• Slaves conquered in war. Natural part of
  society. Freed slaves become metics.
  Slaves/metics half of the population.

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II. Athens The birth of democracy.

• E. Early government in Athens
• After monarchy Aristocracy
• Assembly all adult male citizens participated.
• 9 Archons elected as rulers.
• At first laws not written caused complaints
  by non-aristocrats.
• Draco first written laws (circa 621 BCE)
  harsh and severe Draconian
• Solon
• Archon in 594 BCE erased debts of the poor and
  outlawed slavery as repayment of debt.
• Divided citizens in 4 groups based on wealth.
  Only top two could hold office but all citizens
  elected leaders.
• Peisistratus tyrant improved economy, but
  did not have support of nobles. Government
  returns to aristocracy after him.

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II. Athens The birth of democracy.

• F. Athenian democracy
• Cleisthenes first leader to create democratic
  government in Athens.
• Athens divided into 10 tribes. Each tribe had 50
  representatives (Council of Five Hundred). Served
  for 1 year at a time could only be re-elected
  once.
• Assembly (all adult-male citizens) had final say
  on all laws proposed by Council of Five Hundred.
• Jurors chosen from citizens by lot heard court
  cases voted in secret ballots.
• Direct democracy all citizens participate
  equally in decision-making.
• Representative democracy (U.S. today) citizens
  elect representatives to govern for them.

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