Athens Vs Sparta Research Paper

Ancient Greece had several cities, two of the most famous and influential being Athens and Sparta. Despite practicing the same language, these two cities certainly had a substantial number of differences between them. Several components of these cities were different from each other, such as their morals and lifestyles. I personally believe that Sparta was the superior city, due to their government, military, and womens rights.

The government/political structures of Sparta and Athens are quite different from each other. Sparta had a type of government called “oligarchy.” Basically, this means that there was a small group of people who had control of the region. In this case, Sparta was ruled by a small group of retired warriors, explaining

the focus put on their military. Athens, on the other hand, had a democratic government style. While democracy sounds like the better option, in Ancient Greece that may not have been the case. Today, democracy is often associated with freedom, as that is all we have ever known in our lifetime of living in a modern civilization. However, having a democratic government does not necessarily mean that the citizens have freedom. In Athens, they had an assembly made up of male citizens over the age of 20. This means that anyone who did not fit into that category did not have any say in political affairs- including all women. Today, a democratic government is something we are very lucky to have in our country. We get to choose our leaders, and we have freedom. However, without that freedom, what good does a democratic government do? The oligarchy government was a much better choice for that time period, as there was a focus on military and discipline, which was needed at the time due to the wars taking place.

One thing that sets Sparta apart from other city-states is their military. In fact, the Spartan army was the strongest fighting force in Greece. Boys start training for the army at the young age of 7, and training is certainly not easy. They are sent away from their families and treated harshly, but this experience only makes them stronger. Those young boys grow into tough men, who end up fighting in the army from the ages of 20-60. The soldiers were always prepared to go to war, making Sparta a very safe place to live.

The way women were treated in Sparta differs immensely from the way that women were treated in Athens. Young Spartan girls attended school, obtaining education in reading and writing, and they also received training in various sports. They could even own property or businesses! Spartan women were strong to say the least, they were trained to be warriors. The Spartans believed that strong women made strong and healthy babies, which was ultimately what Spartans wanted for the next generation. Spartan women were treated quite similar to the way men were treated, they had many freedoms that women in Athens did not have. Girls in Athens were not allowed to attend school, instead they were just taught household skills by their mothers. Women in Athens were kept at home, as they were considered property of their father or husband. They could not participate in sports or politics, and were instead responsible for things such as weaving and various other domestic arts. In fact, the only women not confined to their houses were prostitutes! Spartan women had a clear advantage over Athenian women.

The best part about the Spartans was their lifestyle and values. They were accustomed to living with no luxuries, and were taught the importance of respecting women, warriors, and their elders. They were not only strong, but also held certain values that made them better people in general. Many people argue that Athens is better than Sparta due to its spectacular arts and culture, however without the Spartans, the Athenians would not have survived, and in that case there would have been no arts or culture at all. The Athenians have the Spartan army to thank, for all of the fighting they did. Therefore, in conclusion, I strongly believe that Sparta is a better city than Athens.