Introduction
Athens and Sparta were two of the ancient Greek cities that were very powerful and thus rivals. Although very close to each other geographically, their values and lifestyle were distance away from each other. Their similarity was based mostly in their style of governing with both the Athens and Sparta having an Assembly whose member was elected by the people. The people here means those considered citizens and it should be noted that women and slaves where not consider citizens, thus not eligible for voting. The state of Athens was ruled by elected archons with election held annually whereas the state of Sparta was ruled by two kings.
How did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community?
The right to participate in public life and make decision was crucial in both Athens and Sparta as this was a form of prestige. Those who could not held this right were either females, slaves or those that their citizenship has been revoked because of one reason or another.
With the Athens, free Athenian men who were naturally born Athenian and who citizenship is in tack and are 20 years or above have the right to participate in public life and make decisions
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Therefore with Athenian, their government was chosen through election whereas with the Sparta the government was made up of few individuals with the inclusion of the kings. The kings who ruled Sparta will be there until they die whereas with the Athens, official were elected annually. The Sparta system of government can be described as very exclusive as it was open only to those who had the highest social standing in the Sparta society. On the hand, the Athenian system could be termed democracy due to the fact that it involved good number of