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Explain How Did Athens And Sparta Obtain The Right To Participate In Public Life

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How did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community? In Athens the assembly was made up of every adult male citizen of 20 years. It met 2 to3 times a month and voting could be done on the day. This was the way the Athenian participated in public life and made decisions affecting the community. Furthermore, some people participated in their government by serving as public officers or jurors in court cases. These public officers were paid for their service. They are also people of Athens that were even paid to attend the assembly and to serve as jurors, a citizen had to have some wealth and be at least 30 years old. The Sparta participated in public life and made decisions affecting their community as male citizens of Sparta and are also members of the assembly. These categories of people are not male members of the assembly as they have no citizenship rights such as Periokoi, Helots, slaves and freeborn Spartan. The assembly has electoral powers to choose the Ephors and the Gerousia annually when a position becomes available. The assembly also passed laws and made decisions for war. However, the powers of the assembly were limited by the powers of the Ephors and the Gerousia who can decide the assembly …show more content…

In Sparta there were two kings from different tribes. These kings are verified by the Ephors who are elected by the popular assembly. The Ephors acts as legislators serve only a single term in office. They execute judicial affairs, military organization and foreign relations. In Athens, public officers are men that have wealth for the office and who are 30 years old. They must be non- aristocratic. In Athens, the women, foreigners and, slaves, are not allowed to participate in the political system. The Athenian system of government makes it possible for wealthy but non-aristocratic Athenian men to participate in the political system and aspire for public

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