The Varied Foundations of Athenian and Spartan Governance. The city-states of ancient Greece each established unique forms of government reflective of their distinct societal priorities (Rothchild, 2007; Brand, 2010). In democratic Athens, all native-born adult males obtained full citizenship rights and the ability to directly participate in the high assembly (ekklesia) through open debate and voting on legislation (Rothchild, 2007). As Rothchild (2007) outlines, this inclusive system empowers the common people to have a say in decision-making. Conversely, Spartan citizenship was reserved for a select ruling elite. Only native Spartans from the dominant social stratum could formally take part in governance through advisory bodies like the …show more content…
However, as an exception, the strategoi generals were elected annually to head military operations (Rothchild, 2007). Sparta instead instituted a lifelong aristocracy, with the kings and gerontes senate members deriving their positions from noble birthright alone (Brand, 2010). In summation, Athens established a participatory democratic system open to native males, prioritizing civic involvement for citizens (Rothchild, 2007). Sparta developed an elite bureaucracy dominated by the highborn, with control centralized amongst Kings and nobles (Brand, 2010; Cartledge, 2001). Their divergent foundations reflect the dissimilar social structures and values prized within each poleis. The study of Athenian direct democracy and Spartan authoritarian rule provides key insights into political diversity in the ancient Greek world. Brand, P. J. (2010). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Athens & Sparta: Democracy vs. dictatorship? https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/athens-sparta.asp Cartledge, P. (2001). Spartan reflections. University of California Press,. Rothchild, J. A. (2007). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Introduction to Athenian democracy of the fifth and fourth centuries BCE.
It is surprising indeed that Even today, tyrannies and dictatorships exist in the world when more than two and a half thousand years ago the ancient Athenians had developed a functional and direct form of democracy. What contributed to this remarkable achievement and how it changed the socio-political. scene in Athens is what will be considered in this paper. The paper will have three sections, each detailing the various stages. of political development from the kings of Attica to the time of Pericles when, in its golden age, Athens was at the height of its. imperial power.
Spartan culture is a great example of how a society’s infrastructure will directly affect both, its social structure and superstructure. It also serves as a warning that any society that becomes too rigid in its structure and too static in its values will not last long when confronted with more agile and adaptable cultures. This paper will explore why Sparta became the Hellenic army par excellence, how this worked to create a very specific social structure founded on martial values, and, finally, how that social structure would ultimately be the undoing of the culture.
Greece is a country united by its name, but divided by its ways. Although Sparta and Athens were both Greek cities, their societies were different. Sparta was focused on having a perfect military, whereas Athenian daily life revolved learning and knowledge. When Spartan boys were being trained for an army, Athenian boys were being trained for life. Both of these societies revolved around different government, education from when kids to teenagers, the responsibilities each individual had to keep their spot, and how women played a role throughout each city state.
Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast Both Sparta and Athens were Greek city-states. Sparta was a strict military ruled city-state where the people established themselves as a military power early. However Athens was more of a political city-state that was more involved with their economical stature than their military forces. Still changes from the Persian wars would change the powers of the city-state and somewhat unite them.
Athenian democracy includes participation of all adult, free, male, citizen, made possible for all. If at the beginning and during the thriving period of the Athens democracy the occupations of a state position was considered to be an worthy duty for the citizens, the taking in of ...
Raaflaub, Kurt A., and Josiah Ober. Origins of democracy in ancient Greece. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007.
Sparta contained a four branch government system that was considered among the most unique in all of Greece. Unlike the democracy of Athens, Sparta was based on an oligarchy structure. The diarchy, which consisted of two kings, was the first division of this government. These figures held little influence over the state and served more as a symbol of royal heritage (Kennell 83). The second branch was the Gerousia council which acted as an advising body and hel...
Athens and Sparta were both city-states in Classical Greece. While Athens embraced democracy, Sparta was a dictatorial fierce warrior state. Sparta was a militaristic community, Athens was a freethinking, and commerce minded city-state. Modern societies have modeled their government organizational structure and military discipline practices from lessons learned of these ancient city-states. There is much is to be praised regarding Classical Greece for their courage, their progressive thinking and the birth of democracy. However, I think it is important to remember that in both cases, Athens and Sparta were able to sustain their lifestyle on the backs of countless slaves, non-citizens and women and that there is a darker and less romantic side to the past.
Sparta, having won the Peloponnesian war (Xenophon, Hellenika 2.23), emerged as the pre-eminent Greek power at the beginning of the fourth century (Cargill 1981: 189). The member states of the Delian league were not freed as expected (Rhodes 2010: 160), but rather taken over and had oligarchic constitutions installed within them (Rhodes 2010: 238). Sparta decided to keep the power it had gained through becoming an imperialistic force just as Athens had been (cartledge 1987: 349).
Between the years of 508 BCE and 322 CE, Greece flourished under democracy. However, some question if the flourishing of Athens is due to the democracy that was in place as opposed to other factors relevant in building a successful community. This investigation will examine the effectiveness of Athenian democracy in Greek society. Relevance of Athenian democracy can be seen in foundation of many democracies found worldwide. In this investigation the right to vote, protection of minorities, use of social class, the structure of democracy and how Greek democracy has influenced the world will be addressed. The place investigated will be Greece, specifically the capitol Athens. The effectiveness of Athenian democracy can be seen in social structure, protection of minorities, and right to vote, as well as its structure and influence of other countries around the world.
The Question of Democracy: Athens Democracy’s inception on a complex, workable level is attributed to Greece and specifically the city-state Athens, but there is question as to whether or not Athenian democracy was indeed a democracy in its purest form or at all -- at least during the Age of Pericles. One can investigate the matter through Thucydides’s claim that under Pericles, Athens was not a democracy, responses to this claim, and speeches spoken by Pericles himself. After one critically reads Thucydides's claim and acknowledges historian perspective on the matter, it becomes apparent that by its own terms, Athens was a democracy. Refutes to this claim accuse Pericles of manipulation and can be summed up by
Ancient Greece was formed by approximately 1,500 different ‘poleis’ or city-states, each one of them with its own form of government. There was one common characteristic between all of them. To hold any form of political position you must be a free adult male citizen. Many of the words used to describe governments are of Greek (and Roman) origin. Words like monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, oligarchy, and of course democracy are examples of this.
This week’s written assignment is to compare and contrast monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy as forms of government in Ancient Greek city-states. I will address each form of government, providing examples of each and will include applicable comparisons and/or contrasts.
People’s interested were heard fairly as everyone was perceived equal before the law despite ascending to leadership required a man to have wealth to run the public affairs and office. Athens is known has the birth place of democracy were any male citizen aged 18 years and over could share their opinion and vote in the assembly. Contrast Monarchy - In the Greek world monarchies were rare and were often only distinguishable from a tyranny when the hereditary ruler was more benevolent and ruled in the genuine interest of his people (Cartwright, 2018). Aristocracy - The word aristocracy comes from the Greek phrase 'rule of the best (Cartwright, 2018)'
In the ancient world, the Polis was the Greek city-state and it could be referred to the city’s body of citizens. Aristotle defines the Greek polis as ‘an assemblage of houses, lands and property sufficient to enable the inhabitants to lead a civilized life’.1 In fact, this translation is misleading as the ancient Greek polis had very few common characteristics with the modern city-state, especially by the absolute size and impersonal nature of the modern nation. H.D.F. Kitto states, ‘It is a bad translation, because the normal polis was not much like a city, and was very much more than a state.’2