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How Do People In Athens And Sparta's Decisions Affecting The Community?

877 Words4 Pages

Even thousands of years later, the history of ancient Greek culture, the tales of legendary gods, the Spartan troops, and Athens' political system remain valuable and relevant to this day. There are even movies that continue to honor Spartan soldiers' bravery and Athens' democracy. This paper seeks to discuss how people in Athens and Sparta obtained the right to participate in public affairs, who held public office, and what rules governed the selection of public office holders, while also providing a glimpse into how the two city-states' governmental structures were similar and different at the same time. How did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community? To have …show more content…

The Assembly acted as the first public decision-making avenue. Any free male Spartan citizen over the age of 30 who finished his military training was instantly considered a member of the Assembly. However, if a free male Spartan loses his citizenship, he is no longer eligible. The Gerousia was the next level of governmental office consisting of 30 members who were above the age of 60. Finally, we have the Ephors, five officials elected yearly and believed to be the top magistrates in Sparta, sharing authority and power with the kings (Cartwright, …show more content…

Athens was known for its democratic system, allowing its citizens to participate directly in the political process. The Athenian democracy was characterized by institutions such as the Ecclesia (Assembly), where citizens voted on laws and policies, and the Boule (Council), which set the agenda for the Ecclesia (Kelepouri, n.d.). In contrast, Sparta had an oligarchic system with power concentrated among a few. The Spartan government included two hereditary kings, a Gerousia (Council of Elders), and the Ephors, who were elected officials with significant power. The Spartan Assembly had less influence than its Athenian counterpart and was primarily involved in electing the Gerousia and Ephors (Kelepouri, n.d.). In conclusion, Sparta and Athens were two of the most significant city-states in ancient Greece, both having distinctive political structures that reflected the oligarchic and military nature of Sparta and the democratic ideals of Athens. In spite of their differences, they both offer insightful perspectives on the evolution of democratic government in Western civilization.

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