Government System: Athenians Vs. Spartans

Zareef Peeroo

Tim Bailey

October 15, 2014

Athenians vs. Spartans The differences between government, the role of women, and the education status of Athens and Sparta led to similar yet very different societies residing in the same area; therefor I will deconstruct these issues using an analytical comparative framework. In, Athens and Sparta, it shows all the differences between the Athenians and the Spartans. Although the two City States shared a common heritage, their differences grew so large in their own minds that they were ultimately willing to engage in a life-and-death struggle to support their separate realities (Spielvogel). The outcome of their differences made the entire Greek world a loser (Spielvogel). The government system

Unlike the Athenian democratic system the Spartans believed in Oligarchy, meaning ruling by a few. Sparta came to reach the height of it power after defeating rival City Sate, Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) (Bailey). The oligarchy was a governmental system composed by a limited number of elite citizens such as: Ephors, five magistrates with executive and judicial privileges, elected by assembly; two kings, army leaders and chief priests; gerousia, council of thirty elders comprise of men at least sixty tears old, twenty-eight of which were elected by assembly and includes two kings; assembly of citizens, men over thirty years old, they do not vote, but shout acclamations supporting the decisions of the oligarchy above (Bailey). The Spartan governing system led to a military based society where male children from the age of seven would start going to a special educational institution, which was military based. This led to Spartans being warrior like people unlike the Athenians. Also, the Spartans lived in a society where it was decided into three different groups: the Spartans, or Spartiates, who were full citizens; the helots, or serf/slaves; and the periodic, who were neither salves nor citizens, they built weapons for the Spartans (Bailey). It is crucial to understand that the Spartans were a warrior race compared to the other people of their time. They focused

The role of the Athenian women was different compared to the role of a Spartan woman. In Athens, there were different classes of women; the women had very little choices open to them (Bailey). The women were not able to vote nor own/sell anything of great value (Bailey). The respectable women were not allowed to walk around town unless it was to a neighbor’s house or a religious service (Bailey). The women were at home and had to take care of the household and the children. It was important that these women were not outside doing other things because their role was to stay indoors and prepare food for the men when they get home. A women’s life was centered in the house and the children (Bailey). Getting a divorce was a lot easier for the men to get rather than the women. However, a woman was able to divorce her husband (Bailey). Her property would be returned to her father or male guardian. A woman would only be seen in the public at religious events, weddings and funerals (Bailey). There were no hospitals at this time so childbirth mainly occurred at home, where there was not often a midwife. The father could decide whether he wanted to keep the baby or not. There were also other classes of women such as: hetaera (courtesans), pornoi, poor women, and slaves. Hetaera women were able to go wherever they wanted to; they were generally educated in dancing, singing, music, conversation and other ways of