Sparta And Athens Similarities

How were the Athenians and the Spartans different.

Athenians and the Spartans may have similarities but they also have differences. They are both in the same regional area and country. But just because they are close doesn't mean their lifestyles nor their teachings are the same. Let alone their government ideas and presidential election way either. Their beliefs in what they women, men and children do for a living and the education style. Life styles are different built on beliefs of what their area believes.

The Athenians and the Spartans were the two rivals of Ancient Greece, Close together on the map but not in what they valued and lifestyles were completely far away from each other. Athens form of government had an assembly where they

elected their king by the people, Sparta had two kings, until they died and forced out of office. Athens are ruled by archons, elected annually. Athens birthplace is of democracy. Spartans focus on obedience and war, freeing the young men from household and industry duties to allow focus on military duties made possible because of slavery.
The young boys were raised to be warriors, while the young girls were raised to be mothers of the warriors. Athenian’s were known as a creative wonderland. They had good education options and they could pursue any type of arts or science. They could also decide if they wanted to serve in the navy if they pleased to, if not they weren't forced to like the Spartans. The girls couldn’t enter war, business or education. But the Athenians also wanted more control and more land for their owning.

The capital of Greece is Athens. Athens sits near the Aegean coast. It has came a long way from the start, it began as a small village, by the 5th century B.C. it was Mediterranean power. Athenians had been known for several things. Athenian Navy ruled the sea, they believed in many gods and goddesses to whom they appealed for advice and protection from war, disease and human hardship. Athenians built many temples to honor their gods and goddesses. Athenian children first learned about religion through Greek myths told by storytellers and family members.
Athenians loved sports and athletic competition. The men of Athens attended gymnasiums everyday( musical exercises and sports as running, boxing, wrestling, calisthenics, chariot racing, throwing disc and spear’s.). Most Athen Men were farmer merchants or skilled workers. Men were also known as the considered citizens. Men did mostly everything around town. Men even did all the shopping outside of the home for the women and children at the home.
Athenian woman spent most of their lives inside the home. They would weave, cook, train slaves, sewing and raise the children. They also had their own little room where no men could enter at all times inside the home. Would be considered the most uttermost disrespect. Being a woman that stayed inside all the time meant you had very much so beauty. Women's face’s are also often painted white on Greek pottery.
Also they wore a lot of makeup, even compared to today's use of make up, this was to show off their pale complexions. The makeup was applied everywhere, eyes, lips and even cheeks. The women were covered in makeup all the time. It was considered normal.
The children of Athens lived a very “simple” life. The boys would go to school and educate on writing, reading, and even memorize the works of philosophers. Slaves were often the boys tutors to help them with the lessons they would be getting taught. On the other hand the girls would stay at home and learn about things around and about the house, so they would know how to do the works right at the home for themselves, their children and husbands.
Honestly the girls really just stayed at the house and would learn just about the house for their own sake, that is basically how their lives were. But for girls life was “shorter” than the boys. Girls would usually get married away at 13 years old. And once they had been wed they would now take care of their husband's household. But the boys had a different way of life, once they reached an age they went through procedures to become citizens. That would rely on their knowledge preformed from their lessons.
Social and economical structures of Athens had 5 sections, upper, Middle and low class.

Then the last two were slaves and woman. Athens is considered Democracy, which only lasted up to 100 years. Upper class: You have citizenship and you're a man also have a high rank in the military or no job. Very few families were considered upper class. Middle: mostly metics or noncitizens who had no rights to vote or own land. They were mostly merchants or traders who lived in Athens because of guarantee of work and economic stability. Lower: Free men who were once slaves or very poor families. They had very little rights in saying of politics, they were also not

citizens.
Slaves: They were very common to have slaves in Athens, even the poor families had one to two slaves while other wealthy families had up to fifty or more slaves! The slaves were un-ransomed prisoners who were stolen as children, who were stolen from enemies and traded off to other countries. A good thing about slaves is they had freedom and could be set free from their masters if pleased to. Women: A women in Ancient Athens was considered outside of the social class system. You had no life outside of the home, you were either where you father or husband was at and that is all. Women were not counted as citizens and couldn't have any say of their own property or even voting. There was also only 5 very important people to the Athens, Solon, Cleisthenes, Pericles, Socrates and Plato. They all made impacts on the Athens.
“From the moment of a Spartan girl or a boy came into the world, the military and the city state were the center of every Spartan citizen’s life.”(Life in Sparta, 2017, All rights reserved.) The city had decided if the male or female babies were strong enough to be apart of the Spartans.

If a baby was weak or sick they would abandon the baby on the countryside and for it to die. In the Greek world this was normal because Sparta made it an official government policy.

At the age 7 as a male in Sparta they would be taken from their mother and transferred into the special barracks military for about 23 years. They were taught athletics, discipline, survival skills, hunting, and weapon training also in how to endure the pain. The males became soldiers of the state at age 20. The life of a Spartan soldier was with his army, they ate, sleep and trained together. They were basically their own little families together. They could marry but they wouldn't be able to live with their wifes.

Only if they were an “equal” they could live with their wife and children. An equal is a soldier of age 30, but they could risk not becoming an equal if any soldier disgraced himself in any

way.
Expanded rights were granted and they were allowed to participate in politics. Even though they were an equal they were stilled considered a solider. Military services are required till the age of 60. Soldier centered state was the most liberal state in the status of women. Women were required to be educated around the similar lines of soldier even though they were not soldiers themselves. The Spartans were the only Greeks not only to take seriously the education of women but also they instituted it as a state policy.
Athens and Spartans have a little in common, but they also have a lot of differences. They had different beliefs in what others are suppose to and how they live their life. They were both from and near the same places, but their lifestyle beliefs helped effect the teachings and doings of these two groups of people.