B. Athens was not a military dictatorship; Sparta was. Even today, the achievements of Athenians in terms of architecture are much appreciated. The Greek civilization was an exciting period and also today people talk about it. In my view, the authority was no longer centralized in the hands of one administrator, more ordinary people got a say in running the governmental affairs through suffrage, and obtained their official posts as well as participated in policy-making, though the majority of them were still upper-class populace. Also, neither employed the fundamental idea of autocracy – a sole, omnipotent ruler. Located in the southern part of Greece on the Peloponnisos peninsula, the city-state of Sparta developed a militaristic society ruled by two kings and an oligarchy, or small group that exercised political control. Sparta vs. Athens Why was there such a wide difference between the two city-states? Oligarchy refers to a small group of people who govern a nation together. Five Ephors were elected annually, accompanied by two kings, who passed on the crowns to their chosen sons. These two cities were both powerful and famous but significantly different. Sparta was led by an oligarchy, … Cosmetics such as lead ‘foundation’ were common, but unbeknown to them, rather unhealthy. A. Athens didn't have hereditary kings; Sparta did C. Athens allowed women to vote; Sparta didn't D. Athens allowed all people to have a voice in the government; Sparta didn't. The Spartan political mindset was war. Authoritarian government to a person or a small group of people from the state government's decision is the type of system. The Athenian assembly, known as the “ekklesia”, sat to discuss political, militaristic and social matters and agendas in the pnyx. In principle, they can occur and that put the general laws of the state, it was all Athenian citizens were eligible to vote. ANCIENT GREECE CHAPTER 5 DRAFT. Three men paved the way to democracy for Athens – firstly Solon, followed by Pisistratus, and then finally Cleisthenes. Sparta, on the other hand, was ruled by five men with help from a council of elders. HIST 1421 Online Exam 4_04 Part 1 of 2 - 100.0/ 100.0 Points Question 1 of 40 5.0/ 5.0 Points How did the political systems in Athens and Sparta differ? Question options: Athens didn't have hereditary kings; Sparta did. Compare And Contrast Athens And Sparta 991 Words | 4 Pages. Ancient Greece is associated as the birthplace of democracy but it is fair to say that Greece was home to various forms of governments. Commonly referred to as the “Spartans”, the warrior class, even caste, of Lacedaemon was but a small fraction of its total population. Sparta also had kings, and it appears that Athens did not. As various studies suggested, ancient Athens pursued permissiveness and democracy, which its form of government was the antecedent of nowadays 'rule by the people '. A: The Byzantine Empire dictated government policies. With this in mind though, the structures of Athenss and Spartas governments were not totally dissimilar. To begin with, Athens and Sparta were both famous in antiquity for their legend, cultures and the character of the people. Sparta and Athens… Both were centred around the concept of citizenry : a set of free men that have the right to have material possession, to defend their families and their land and to form the elite of the society. This differed from Spartas rule by the few, which allowed for much less say from the people next to none, in fact. Sources. 17 times. This enhanced the prestige of Sparta. Both Athens and Sparta hold historic value for Greece and the world. Both took part in activity and took measures in order to look their best for the men of society. On the one hand, the two poleis share certain obvious affinities, such as language, geographical scope, a common Greek ancestry etc. Athens is seen as the birthplace of democracy where a large number of the population had a say in state affairs and proceedings. The first main difference between them was that Athens was more famous for its culture and civilization while Sparta was known for its warrior nature and had a fearsome reputation in those days. Physical training was not unheard of though, and an Athenian woman exercising was not uncommon. Athens and Sparta are two prominent Greek rival city-states. Sparta’s system of government was very exclusive and open to members of the only the highest social standing. How did the treatment of women differ between Athens and Sparta? The reason women were scrutinized so heavily on their fitness and physical state relates to the Spartan’s equivalent of the “master race” concept. In Athens, the Assembly could meet at least once a month or even two to three times a month. 1. This was important in shaping their social status and even their life in some cases. Such as Sparta which had a mix of Monarchy, Oligarchy, aristocracy, and tyranny. On the other hand, they were polar opposites in many aspects, from social spheres, political structures, to military might, which I believe there are some hidden depths in these city-states. How did the political systems in Athens and Sparta differ? 1447 Also, neither employed the fundamental idea of autocracy a sole, omnipote… Sparta took the leadership in war. Athens, being a democracy, used the masses as well as nobles, aristocrats and generals as a part of their government. There were over a thousand city-states at one time. The agenda was set and decrees carried out by a 500 strong council, chosen by lot to serve one year each"(Finley, 1983). Athens citizens access to government offices and courts to enable the first city in the country. This was an area close by to the markets and social centre of Athens, the “agora”. Law forbade all Spartan males from any occupation other than that of being a soldier. The Life and Governmental Structures of the People of Athens and Sparta Athens is the capital and the largest city of Greece. In addition, the people of Athens elected generals to lead the military. A public assembly of male citizens met 40 times a year to vote on state decisions. Decisions that affect the citizens of the state do not have a say. Sparta countered the idea of a autocrat by putting two kings in place, and an overseeing body of five Ephors. Athens is the symbol of freedom, art, and democracy in the conscience of the civilized world. As a whole, the five Ephors had the power to overrule the Kings, but tended to keep to religious and militaristic duties. 3 years ago. Abstract In Athens, Greece, Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who wrote a book called Politics, describing the laws and the type of government the people of Athens lived under in 350 B.C. In summary, Sparta and Athens may have been in great divergence to each other at their peaks during and around the Golden Age of Greece, but they possessed many parallel relationships in society. Hence, let’s look at how did their people obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community, and who held public office first. Since about 2500 years ago in ancient Greece, and the city of Athens in the state that is different from the past authoritarian ways have developed a way to make decisions. Save. Neither could attend the “palaestra” to exercise. Athens allowed women to vote; Sparta didn't. Which do you believe gave t - the answers to estudyassistant.com History. The Athenian political system was democracy whereas the Spartan one was dictatorship. Women were judged on their physique and physical and athletic prowess. Two Cities.Athens and Sparta came up with different solutions to the challenges facing the early Greek poleis.In the eighth century b.c.e. However, in this essay, the author will discuss the life if Athenians and Spartans, moreover, we discuss how each group obtained their rights to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community. (S) The Athenian City (polis) and the Spartan empire. Greece developed many political tools that aimed to spread decision making to the collective whole or representatives of the collective whole. Athens is seen as the birthplace of democracy – where a large number of the population had a say in state affairs and proceedings. The most glaring difference is that Sparta did not have a democracy, while Athens did, though it was not total. Other Greek city states had an almost all militia army.   THE LAW CODE OF DRACO. Political institutions of Sparta: Lycurgus: The founder of the political institution of Sparta is Lycurgus. With this in mind though, the structures of Athens’s and Sparta’s governments were not totally dissimilar. THE SPARTAN CONSTITUTION. Women in Sparta had designated arenas in which they would exercise and compete in athletic tournaments, usually secluded from the men who were out training. Their ideas, habits, and daily activities were majorly impacted by the community they lived in. Nevertheless, affinities between the Spartan and Athenian views and roles of women are evident, as Xenophon tells us. This allowed for Sparta to forget about their state, and go on the offensive. Greece was truly the leader of political ingenuity due to the many laws, ideas, trade, people, and conflicts. Democracy is what we have today, where one person is the main leader, but there are three branches that do different things with the law to decide if it is okay. Possibly the most characteristic divide between these two great powers of the Ancient Mediterranean is their differing systems of government. (Brand, P.J. D. Athens allowed all people to have a voice in the government; Sparta didn't. On the contrary, Athenian women were judged heavily on their artificial beauty. Sparta was an “Oligarchy”. University of the People Sparta’s governance was centered around warfare and warriors, while Athens was centered around … Any male citizen of age 18 or above could speak and vote in the Assembly. Overall, Athens, a democracy, would last longer, as evident by their ruins, and Sparta, an oligarchy, would not last long because as always, an oligarchy will always. These two “poleis” each had similarities and differences regarding the status and view of women in society. The Political System of Sparta. Athens can be considered as the fountain of culture and philosophical knowledge. I will talk about how these two city-states (Athens and Sparta) were similar in governmental structures and also address how they differed and in what ways. The main difference between Athens and Sparta is that Athens was a form of democracy, whereas Sparta was a form of oligarchy. This differed from Sparta’s rule by the few, which allowed for much less say from the people – next to none, in fact. Sparta was an “Oligarchy”. The process by which this was undertaken was by a simple shouting of ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Discuss the political systems of Athens and Sparta. Several thousand men were narrowed down You've reached the end of your free preview. In Greece, they went through three different types of government: monarchy (having one king or queen that controls everything by themselves), oligarchy (a small group of people that decides on things together) and democracy. Then, the people (only male citizens back then) voted and had a huge impact on the resulting laws. (n.d)). This type of … However, at the same time the two shared a number of character in common. HIST 1421: GREEK AND ROMAN CIVILIZATION Athens was a bunch of panzies. An excellent question indeed ! Athens was the centre for arts, learning and philosophy while Sparta was a warrior state. What was the main goal of Greek colonization in the Archaic Period? Athens vs. Sparta In Greece, Sparta and Athens society was very different in many ways. Thus, one should not disregard the People, for they can be. Key Difference – Athens vs Sparta Athens and Sparta refer to two of the greatest cities of Greece between which many differences can be identified in terms of the lifestyles and value systems. Also, we talk about who held the public office, what rules governed the selection of the public, and how the two cities were similar and different as government structure. Sparta and Athens Sparta The distinctiveness of Sparta. Athens had an empire, they stood up for values, they were the school of Greece, while Sparta were clinching onto their dear iron bars. On the other hand, Athens was seen as the birthplace of democracy, meaning that it was ruled by the people who had a say in state affairs (history.com, n.d.). As per the legends of Greece, after the death of his father and then elder brother, the political horizon of Sparta became clouded. Spartan society and Athenian society had many difference and similarities in terms of various aspects of everyday life, military, women and other aspects. Elaborate and expensive jewelry, complemented by luscious clothing were worn for seductive, and other purposes. Why did the ancient city-states of Athens and Sparta develop different political systems? Question 2How did the political systems in Athens and Sparta differ? 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