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GREEK CITY-STATES.

Compares Athens and Sparta. Distinct cultural makeup of each. Both cities as military and political rivals. Sparta's ideological and social emphasis on militarism. Athens' focus on a sophisticated, democratic system of governance and trade. Stoic, frugal Spartan social system. Athens as the model democratic city-state of the Hellenistic world with economic and philosophical dominance.

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Greek City-States
Athens & Sparta
Greek city-states were loosely aligned but fairly distinct in terms of cultural makeup. This was true in terms of military, political, economic and social structures. In ancient civilization, “Athens...was the most important Greek city-state” (Athens, 2003, 1). Unlike Sparta, Athens would survive military defeat and create a thriving city-state whose political structures would influence all of Europe. As one historian notes, “Sparta was in many regards the opposite pole of Athens from a cultural perspective” (Culture, 2003, 1). If we make a comparison and contrast of Athens and Sparta, despite their

Nevertheless, experimentation with political forms, a focus on military exploits, the exchange of trade, and defined roles for women and men were all typical features of Greek city- states. Available: http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/prehistory/aegean/culture/spartaculture.html, 1-2.Lissner, I. A. The stoic, frugal, and self-sacrificing nature of the Spartansocial system was influenced by an influx of tribute money and contact withthe outside world - "a world in which luxury, philosophical debate, and newroles for citizens (including women) could be found" (Trever, 1936, 4 3).Unlike Athenian women, Spartan women were taught to read and write. The Ionians andDorians were the predominant tribes of the region, but their characteristicdifferences led to intense competition and even war. Sparta became vulnerable to the attacks of neighbors formerly held in check, and it is Athens that survived to become the model democratic city-state of the Hellenistic world with economic as well as philosophical dominance. WhileAthenian women were taught domestic arts from spinning to weaving, Spartanwomen faced rigorous training in part to enable them to protect themselves. Sparta pursueddominance among the city-states constituting the Peloponnesian League,largely because of her ideological and social emphasis upon militarism;Athens focused on establishment of a more urban, cosmopolitan, andessentially sophisticated democratic system of governance and expanded herown activities to include extensive trade. Putnam's Sons.Trever, A. Unlike the island and sea city-states ofGreece (including Athens), Sparta was essentially landlocked and, moresignificantly, "kept the military and agricultural ideal dominant" whenAthens was moving away from this ideal (Trever, 1936, 179). (2 3). Sparta probably never had a total of more than 1 , male citizens,all of whom were reared in the military tradition and who constituted anexclusive military caste that devoted their entire time to war andgovernment (Trever, 1936, 181). The Living past. Sparta's military system gradually gave way, as did its emphasis on the communal as opposed to individualistic social ethos. Athens. History of Ancient Civilization. Because of thecontact between Athens and her citizens and the greater world, Athensdeveloped a more complex, rich and varied culture than did Sparta. Unlike Sparta, Athenswould survive military defeat and create a thriving city-state whosepolitical structures would influence all of Europe. Ancient Civilizations. War between Athens (leader of the Attic League) and Sparta (leaderof the Peloponnesian League) was inevitable. Greek City-States Athens & Sparta Greek city-states were loosely aligned but fairly distinct in termsof cultural makeup. (1936). Sparta and Athens were rivals for supremacy in the region that wouldeventually be known as Greece. As one historiannotes, "Sparta was in many regards the opposite pole of Athens from acultural perspective" (Culture, 2 3, 1). Athensbecame a true metropolis, while "Sparta remained essentially a large townwith military as opposed to ideological influence over her neighbors"(Lissner, 1957, 337-38). The war was the result ofa clash between political systems, with Sparta's helot (peasant oragricultural serf) system in conflict with Athens' maritime system. InAthens, a more outward-looking ethos took hold even in the late seventhcentury B.C. In ancient civilization, "Athens...was themost important Greek city-state" (Athens, 2 3, 1). Athens was an Ionian city-state, with citizens that were probably more imaginative and temperamentalthan the more stoic and practical Dorians of Sparta. This was true in terms of military, political,economic and social structures. (2 3). The culture of Sparta. Available: http://www.crystalinks.com/athens.html, 1-3.Anonymous. ReferencesAnonymous. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company. New York: G.P. Athens was an hereditary monarchy until about the middle ofthe 8th century, and the economic and political reforms of Solon created amore democratic state than was ever found in Sparta. If we make a comparison andcontrast of Athens and Sparta, despite their distinctions we see manyfacets of Greek civilization that were typical of city-states, from a focuson military pursuits to experimentation with different political forms. The war lasted from 431 to 4 4B.C., with Sparta eventually gaining supremacy. A popular assembly known as the apellaexercised authority under a constitution, while two kings also ruled. Athens, defeated in the War, went on to create a thriving city-state with influence far in excess of her military might. Thoughthe purported victor in the war, Sparta began to disintegrate in itsaftermath. (1957).

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