Ancient History and Literature Seamus Burke 10/25/13 Week 8 Word Count: 78 Com!arison o" At#ens and S!

arta S!arta$ a%so kno&n as Lacedeamon$ &as a 'reek city(state %ocated on t#e )anks o" t#e *urotas +i,er- S!arta is uni.ue in ancient 'reece "or its socia% system and constitution- S!arta &as a society )ui%t entire%y around mi%itary %i"e- /ne reason S!arta #ad suc# a mi%itaristic society &as its0 need to maintain contro% o" t#e #e%ots(s%a,es "rom 1essenia- 2#e #e%ots "ar outnum)ered t#eir S!artan masters$ so t#ey &ere ke!t in c#eck t#rou3# "ear o" t#eir masters mi%itary !ro&essS!arta &as a)o,e a%% a mi%itary state$ and em!#asis on trainin3 )e3an !ractica%%y at )irt#S#ort%y a"ter a c#i%d &as )orn$ t#e mot#er &ou%d )at#e it &it# &ine$ and i" t#e c#i%d sur,i,ed$ it &as )rou3#t )e"ore t#e 'erousia- 4" t#e )a)y &as deemed 5!uny6 or 0de"ormed0 )y t#e 'erousia$ it &as t#ro&n into a c#asm on 1ount 2ay3etos- 2#is &as a !rimiti,e "orm o" eu3enics- At t#e a3e o" se,en$ a%% s!artan ma%es &ere takin3 to )e trained as &arriors- W#en t#e )oys )e3an t#is trainin3$ t#ey entered t#e S!artan education system kno&n as t#e A3o3e- A%t#ou3# t#ere &as a #ea,y em!#asis on !#ysica% "itness and &ea!ons trainin3$ t#ey a%so studied &ritin3$ readin3$ and music- 4n t#e A3o3e$ "ood and c%ot#in3 &ere rationed care"u%%y$ &it# t#e 3oa% t#at S!artan men &ou%d )e used to constant #ards#i!$ so &#en t#e time came "or &ar$ t#ey &ou%d not )e too so"t- 'ir%s &ere 3i,en t#e same ri3orous trainin3 as )oys$ &it# t#e 3oa% t#at t#ey &ou%d )e a)%e to )ear stron3 s!artan menS!artan &omen in t#e citi7en c%ass en8oyed "ar more status and res!ect t#an any&#ere e%se in t#e c%assica% 'reek &or%d- 2#is started at )irt#$ &it# s!artan &omen )ein3 "ed t#e same "ood as t#eir )rot#ers$ un%ike in At#ens- 9or &ere t#ey con"ined to t#eir !arents #ouse and !re,ented "rom e:ercisin3$ )ut com!eted in s!orts and roamed "ree%y t#rou3# t#e city- 1ost im!ortant o" a%%$ t#ey &ere "or)idden to marry unti% in t#e %ate teens or ear%y t&enties- 2#e reason "or t#is ru%e &as to ensure #ea%t#y s!artan )irt#s$ )ut t#e e""ect &as to s!are t#e #ea%t# dama3e and #a7ards o" ado%escent !re3nancy "rom t#e &omenS!arta is an o%i3arc#y$ ru%ed )y t&o #ereditary kin3s- 2#e kin3s &ere "rom t#e A3iad and *ury!ontid "ami%ies$ )ot# )e%ie,ed to )e descended "rom Herek%es- 2#e S!artan e.ui,a%ent to a senate &as t#e 'erousia- 2#e 'erousia &as com!osed o" t&enty(ei3#t s!artans and t#e t&o kin3s- 2#e 'erousia 3a,e ad,ice$ tried crimina%s$ and !resented matters to t#e *cc%esia(t#e S!artan assem)%yAt#ens &as a democratic society- 2#e At#enians &ere ,ery !roud o" t#eir 3o,ernment- S#ort%y a"ter t#e introduction o" democracy$ it )ecame an o)session- Anyone &as ca!a)%e o" risin3 to t#e to!$ so %on3 as t#ey cou%d s!eak &e%%- +#etoric )ecame centra% to At#enian education- 4n At#ens$ any ma%e &it# t&o At#enian !arents &as e%i3i)%e to ,ote in t#e At#enian assem)%y- 2#e Assem)%y "unctioned as t#e %e3is%ati,e )ody$ !assin3 %a&s and makin3 decisions- A)o,e t#e assem)%y &as t#e counci%- 500 At#enian ma%es o,er t#irty &ere a!!ointed to t#e counci% "or one year- 2#en t#ere &ere t#e nine Arc#ons$ or ma3istrates$ &#o !resided o,er ci,i%$ mi%itary$ and re%i3ious a""airs o" t#e stateA%% ;n%ike S!arta$ &#ose in"antries mi%itary !ro&ess &as unsur!assed$ At#ens #e%d mi%itary dominance at sea- <articu%ar%y a"ter t#e <ersian Wars$ t#e At#enian na,y &as on one "e& cou%d c#a%%en3e- Ho&e,er$ At#ens interests %ay e%se&#ere- 2rade &as centra% to t#e At#enian economy- 2#e At#enians e:!orted %ots o" o%i,e oi% and &ine$ )ut t#e main income &as "rom t#eir ama7in3 cra"tsmans#i!- At#ens &as "amous "or its arts- 9ot on%y !ottery$ scu%!ture$ and !aintin3$ )ut music$ !oetry$ and t#eater as &e%%- 2#e At#enians !rided t#emse%,es on artistic endea,ors rat#er t#an mi%itary !ro&essA%t#ou3# s!artan and At#enian society are .uite di""erent$ )ot# s#are simi%ar .ua%ities- 9o one is a)o,e t#e %a&- A%so$ neit#er #ad a so%e ru%er(At#ens$ )ein3 a democracy$ used t#e masses as &e%% as

no)%es$ aristocrats and 3enera%s as !art o" t#eir 3o,ernment- S!arta countered t#e conce!t o" an autocrat )y !uttin3 t&o kin3s in !%ace$ and an o,erseein3 )ody o" "i,e e!#ors- *ac# ke!t t#e ot#er under c#eck$ ena)%in3 no one to 3ain a)so%ute !o&er- 2#e S!artan society &as muc# )etter in terms o" it0s e.ua%ity o" &omen t#an At#ens$ &#ere &omen #ad no !o&er at a%%$ and )asica%%y stayed at #ome2#e s!artan society &as centered around it0s army$ &#ereas t#e At#enian cu%ture &as centered around democracy$ art$ and kno&%ed3e- 4t cou%d )e ar3ued t#at since At#ens is re3arded as t#e 5crad%e6 o" &estern ci,i%i7ation$ it &as more success"u%$ )ut t#e S!artans &ere )etter in terms o" 3ender e.ua%ity and disci!%ine- Bot# societies #ad t#eir merits$ and S!arta &as muc# more !ro3ressi,e in its ,ie&s to&ards &omen$ At#ens u%timate%y #ad muc# more o" an im!act on "uture ci,i%i7ationBi)%io3ra!#y Herodotus- The Histories. London- <en3uin Books- =1>5 /ur discussions in c%ass