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Sparta's Life In Sparta, Athens And Sparta

Decent Essays

ATHENS, THE CRADDLE OF DEMOCRACY, SPARTA, THE ART OF WAR
Athens and Sparta, the two largest and most powerful cities in ancient Greece (between 800 and 323 BCE) were two different models of polis, their social, political and cultural values and ways of life were dramatically different. (Brand, n.d.)
Athens was located in the region of Attica, a fertile valley and rich in minerals. The city was a cultural powerhouse: the cradle of democracy, the birthplace of many great philosophers, of politics, of architecture and theatre, of history, science and mathematics, with a formidable naval fleet that defeated the Persian army. Athenians had access to education and freedom to pursue their interests in war or business. (Mark, 2011)
Sparta, an oligarchy, a military state, was located in the rich and productive plains of Laconia, it was the city with the largest military and constantly focused on war: boys were bred to be soldiers; girls were brought up to birth boys who grew up to be soldiers, a polis where slaves and helots were forced to work. Life in Sparta revolved around obedience and war. (Brand, n.d.)
LIFE IN ATHENS
Unlike the Spartans simple lifestyle, Athens was a modern and open society. Athenian society was divided in three classes: citizens who could participate in politics, the aliens who could participate in the army and the slaves who had no political rights. Children stayed at home until they turned 7 after which time, they attended school to learn how to read and

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