Athens and Sparta: Two Greek City-States

Jaclyn Porter

22 Feb 201903:04

Summary

TLDRAthens and Sparta, two contrasting Greek city-states, are compared in this script. Athens, a coastal city, relied on naval forces and trade, with a democratic government and a culture rich in arts and philosophy. Sparta, an inland city, focused on agriculture and military conquests, governed by an oligarchy. Athens had a marketplace, the Agora, with convenient coinage, while Sparta used inconvenient iron bars as currency. Women in Athens had limited rights, whereas in Sparta, they enjoyed more freedoms. Education in Athens aimed at creating good citizens, with boys educated from age 18, while Sparta emphasized military training from age 7 for both genders, fostering strong warriors.

Takeaways

🌊 Athens was located near the sea, which influenced their naval military focus.
🏞️ Sparta was an inland city-state with a military based on an army.
🏛️ Athens worshipped Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war.
⚔️ Sparta revered Ares, the god of war.
🎭 Athens was known for its artisans, poets, and philosophers.
🏺 Sparta's society was primarily composed of warriors, with some artisans.
💰 Athens had a trade-based economy with a marketplace called an Agora and used convenient coins.
🌾 Sparta relied on farming and conquests, using iron bars as inconvenient currency.
🗳️ Athens practiced democracy where citizens voted on laws.
👥 Sparta was governed by an oligarchy led by the Council of Elders.
👩 Athens women had limited rights, focusing on home and child-rearing.
💪 Sparta women had more rights, including owning land and being strong for defense.
🤝 Slaves in Athens were treated better than in Sparta, where they were harshly treated as prisoners of war.
📚 Athenian education aimed to create good citizens, educating only boys with military training starting at 18.
🏋️ Sparta emphasized education for both boys and girls from age 7, focusing on making them strong warriors.

Q & A

What was the primary difference in location between Athens and Sparta?
-Athens was located near the sea, while Sparta was situated inland.
How did the geographical location of Athens and Sparta affect their military?
-Athens had a navy due to its proximity to the sea, whereas Sparta had an army because it was inland.
Which Greek gods were associated with Athens and Sparta, respectively?
-Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, was associated with Athens, and Ares, the god of war, was associated with Sparta.
What types of jobs were common in Athens compared to Sparta?
-In Athens, there were many artisans, poets, and philosophers, while in Sparta, people were primarily warriors, though there were also some artisans.
How did the economy of Athens differ from that of Sparta?
-Athens had a trade-based economy with a marketplace called an Agora and used convenient coins for trade. Sparta relied on farming and conquering others, using iron bars as money, which was inconvenient.
What form of government did Athens have, and how did it differ from Sparta's government?
-Athens had a democracy where citizens voted for laws, while Sparta was governed by an oligarchy led by a few people known as the Council of Elders.
What were the rights of women like in Athens and Sparta?
-In Athens, women had few rights, with no say in government and mainly managing the home and raising children. In Sparta, women had more rights, could own land, have jobs, and were expected to be strong to defend their land.
How were slaves treated in Athens and Sparta?
-Slaves in Athens were treated better than in Sparta, where they were treated very poorly and harshly as prisoners of war.
What was the purpose of education in Athens, and how did it differ from Sparta?
-In Athens, education aimed to create good citizens and was only for boys, with military training starting at age 18. In Sparta, education started at age 7 and was for both boys and girls, focusing on making them strong and brave warriors.
What was the main focus of Sparta in contrast to Athens?
-Sparta was focused on conquering its enemies, had an oligarchy, and a strong army, while Athens was more peaceful, with a focus on trade and democracy.
How did the use of money differ between Athens and Sparta?
-Athens used convenient coins for trade, whereas Sparta used iron bars, which were less convenient.

Outlines

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🌊 Athens vs. Sparta: City-States Overview

This paragraph contrasts two ancient Greek city-states: Athens and Sparta. Athens was a coastal city with a navy, while Sparta was inland with an army. Athens worshipped Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, whereas Sparta revered Ares, the god of war. The occupations in Athens included artisans, poets, and philosophers, in contrast to Sparta's warrior-focused society, though Sparta also had artisans. Athens had a democratic government, while Sparta was governed by an oligarchy known as the Council of Elders. Women in Athens had limited rights, focusing on home and child-rearing, whereas in Sparta, women had more rights, including land ownership and employment. Athens' economy was trade-based with a convenient coinage system, while Sparta relied on agriculture and conquest, with inconvenient iron bars as currency. Education in Athens aimed to create good citizens and was only for boys, starting military training at 18. Sparta, however, educated both boys and girls from a young age, focusing on creating strong, brave warriors.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Athens

Athens was one of the most prominent city-states in ancient Greece, known for its maritime location and naval military. It was a center for arts, philosophy, and democracy. In the script, Athens is highlighted for its sea proximity, which influenced its economic and military strategies, and its democratic government, where citizens voted for laws.

💡Sparta

Sparta was another significant ancient Greek city-state, located inland and renowned for its military prowess and warrior culture. The script emphasizes Sparta's inland location, which led to a focus on land-based warfare and an oligarchic form of government.

💡Navy

A navy is a country's military force that operates at sea. In the context of the video, Athens' navy was crucial for its defense and trade, given its location near the sea. The script mentions Athens' reliance on its navy as opposed to Sparta's land-based army.

💡Army

An army is a military force that primarily operates on land. Sparta's military was an army, which was indicative of its inland location and focus on land warfare. The script contrasts Sparta's army with Athens' navy.

💡Athena

Athena was the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and war, and she was the patron deity of Athens. The script mentions Athena as the local god of Athens, symbolizing the city's values and its focus on wisdom and warfare.

💡Ares

Ares was the ancient Greek god of war, and he was the patron deity of Sparta. The script associates Sparta with Ares, reflecting the city-state's martial culture and its emphasis on warfare.

💡Artisans

Artisans are skilled workers who practice a craft. The script describes Athens as having many artisans, poets, and philosophers, indicating a diverse and vibrant cultural scene, in contrast to Sparta's warrior-focused society.

💡Agora

The Agora was the central marketplace in ancient Greek city-states, including Athens. The script mentions the Agora in Athens as a hub for trade, reflecting the city's economic reliance on commerce and its convenient coinage.

💡Oligarchy

An oligarchy is a form of government where power is held by a small group of people. Sparta had an oligarchy, as indicated in the script, which was led by the Council of Elders, differing from Athens' democratic system.

💡Conquering

Conquering refers to the act of taking control of a territory or people by force. The script highlights Sparta's focus on conquering others as a means to sustain its economy and military strength.

💡Iron bars

Iron bars were used as currency in Sparta, as mentioned in the script. This was an inconvenient form of money compared to Athens' use of coins, reflecting the city-state's less developed economy and focus on military might over trade.

💡Education

Education in ancient Athens was aimed at creating good citizens, with boys receiving education starting at age 18, as stated in the script. In contrast, Sparta's education was more militaristic, starting at a younger age and including both boys and girls, with the goal of producing strong warriors.

Highlights

Athens was located near the sea and had a navy, while Sparta was inland with an army.

Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, was the local deity of Athens.

Sparta's local deity was Ares, the god of war.

Athens had many artisans, poets, and philosophers.

Sparta's population primarily consisted of warriors, with some artisans.

Athens' economy was trade-based due to its proximity to the sea.

Athens had a marketplace called an Agora and used convenient coins for trade.

Sparta relied on farming and conquering others; their currency was iron bars.

Athens practiced democracy, with citizens voting for laws.

Sparta was governed by an oligarchy led by the Council of Elders.

Women in Athens had few rights and were mainly homemakers.

Spartan women had more rights, could own land, and were expected to be strong.

Slaves in Athens were treated better and some had job skill training.

Spartan slaves were treated harshly as prisoners of war.

Education in Athens aimed to create good citizens, with boys starting military training at age 18.

Spartan education began at age 7, focusing on making strong, brave warriors for both boys and girls.

Athens was a peaceful city-state with a focus on trade and democracy.

Sparta was focused on conquering enemies, had an oligarchy, and a strong army.