ipl-logo

Similarities Of Athens And The Athenian Government System

880 Words4 Pages

Athens and Sparta were two of the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece. They both share a lot of similarities as to using the same language, fighting style, and mythology. At the same time Athens and Sparta held a lot of differences as to their education, government system, and treatment. To begin with the Spartan and Athenian government system wasn’t very alike, while the Athenian government held three leadership roles during war who were elected by assembly noting that anybody who was a Citizen in Athens could run; these leaders were called Kings or Archons. Other government roles that the Athenians’ had was the council of five hundred, citizens over the age of 30 would be chosen arbitrarily; these people proposed laws to the Assembly …show more content…

Sparta held five leaders called Ephors; these leaders controlled the rest of the government and would also declare war, but like the Athenians they were only in power for one year and could only run once. The Council of Old People was another part of Sparta’s government; it held 28 people over the ages of 60 they would suggest new laws but the assembly would determine if these laws were suitable, the Council of Old People would serve for life. The two kings who would be elected by assembly serve for life and would not be able to declare war. Last but not least the assembly, all citizens over the age of 30 who were all elected had the choice to vote for laws but not to contribute and make …show more content…

The Athenian military boys go to school 6-17 it is a requirement that when they turn 18 they would go to military school where they learn to fight in war although this only lasted about two years and then could graduate from military school. The reason why the Athenian military is much different from the Spartan’s military. At the age of seven Spartan boys are confiscated from their families and sent to military school until the age of 30. If Spartan men were married they wouldn't be allowed to be with their wives until they have graduated. Whilst the Athenian's military life only consisted of two years, the Spartan's entire life was based upon the military and it was a necessity that they serve till they reach the age of

Show More
Related

Athens Vs Sparta Dbq Essay

313 Words | 2 Pages

They believed by training their young at such a young age that they would be the strongest military force there was. (Document H) School was very different for the children of Athens, they did not only educate them in military but in the arts. At the age of 18, Athenians began military training while the Spartans started exceptionally sooner. By doing so, Athenians were prepared for both

Read More

Government System: Athenians Vs. Spartans

1229 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More

How Did Sparta A Form Of Government

795 Words | 4 Pages

Athens used a form of government called a Democracy, ruled by the people. Since the people of Athens may have different opinions, leading to arguments fights and making family go against family in their own homeland. Yet, Sparta was ruled by few people so the Spartans could avoid all the tension. Therefore, oligarchy was the best form of government for the Spartans. Furthermore, Sparta was focused on their military.

Read More

Dbq Compare And Contrast Sparta And Athens

550 Words | 3 Pages

As Athens was invested in learning new materials, the Spartans were gaining knowledge in war and gaining experience in combat. Although different methods in many ways they were both taught something in education and at least a small amount of military training. “...boys were taught survival skills, how to fight, how to steal what they need without getting caught…” Doc A. This

Read More

Similarities Between Athenian Democracy And American Democracy

659 Words | 3 Pages

The Athenians had a direct democracy which allowed the citizens to directly decide and vote for who they wanted to rule their country. In Athens there were three bodies of the government. The Assembly is the first branch which included all citizens that showed up to cast their vote. The Assembly decided what new laws would be and they made important decisions regarding war, laws, etc.

Read More

Understanding Athenian And Spartan Governmental Structures

612 Words | 3 Pages

The posts were frequently held on a rotating basis, ensuring greater citizen engagement in decision-making (Brand, 2010). Sparta's government was organized as an oligarchy. Public officials were chosen solely from the Spartiate class, who were complete citizens of the city-state. The most powerful roles, like dual kingship, were hereditary and reserved to select families. Other offices, such as the Gerousia (council of elders), were filled by election from among the elderly (Cartledge & Spawforth,

Read More

How Did Cleisthenes Respond To Public Life?

1701 Words | 7 Pages

Pericles popularity is well known for harnessing that mob power to steer Athenian society, while Thucydides is known for claiming weaker demagauges (rabble rousers) that followed are what lead to Athens eventual downfall (Brand, 2013, p. 34). Sparta, being a oligarchy, had a much clearer set of public offices consisting of two kings, a weakly empowered assembly of all male citizens, powerful elders over age sixty called the Geriousia, and five annually elected magistrates called Ephors whose powers often contested the kings during their one year terms (Brand, 2013, p. 9). Much like the Metics of Athens, Periokoi were foreigners of ATHENIAN VERSUS SPARTAN GOVERNANCE 4 Sparta who could gain much wealth filling tradesmen roles, but would never participate in Spartan governance (Brand, 2013, p. 3). The only people allowed in public office were native born Spartans who met specific requirements.

Read More

Worldviews And Civilizations: Sparta And Athens

820 Words | 4 Pages

Only free Athenian men could have political rights in Athens, and women were not allowed to vote. The Athenian Assembly was open to all free Athenian males over the age of 18. The Council of 500, who prepared the schedule for the meeting of the Assembly, consisted of fifty men (Athenian Democracy at Work, 29). Both Athens’ and Sparta’s government had an assembly. However, Sparta’s government was an oligarchy in which the two kings and the council of elders made the decisions.

Read More

People In Athens Vs Sparta

580 Words | 3 Pages

Typically those in public office at the highest levels were the wealthy aristocrats, while the poorer men would hold a minor office. Sparta on the other hand had a much different "Public office" including 2 kings who really did not have the typical power that you would expect from a king, they were often powerless against the Gerousia and Ephors. True power was in the hands of an “elder council” of men over 60 called the Gerousia and five magistrates called Ephors who were elected annually and served for one-year terms in office. (Brand, Peter J. (2010:1-36))

Read More

Argumentative Essay: Why Sparta Is Better Than Athens

458 Words | 2 Pages

There were many cases of bribery in the government that wasn't taken seriously by the court. In Sparta power was given to citizens through the assembly which consisted of all male citizens in Sparta, but in theory anyone could participate. The government had an elaborate system of checks and balances to make sure that no branch had more power than another. Also contrary to popular belief the Spartans treated there slaves bette than the Athenians. The slaves in Sparta were actually known as helots who were lower class citizens.

Read More

Athens Vs Sparta Research Paper

785 Words | 4 Pages

While the change of political leaders in Athens was via election annually, in Sparta the Ephors were “chosen by lot from the citizen body, able only to serve for a maximum of one year and who were ineligible for future office” (Cartwright, 2013). In Sparta, unlike any Athenian officials, members of the Gerousia would serve for life wielding political power for a period of time beyond any Athenian,

Read More

What Are The Similarities Between Democracy And Athenian Government

474 Words | 2 Pages

The fifth and fourth century BCE Athenian democracy set the groundwork for many of our modern democratic ideas and systems. When compared to our current government system, it is evident that there are both similarities and contrasts. This essay will compare Athenian democracy to our own government in terms of citizenship and franchise, the system for making laws and who has the authority to do so, the power of the court, judicial review, and methods of restraining the power of public officials. One similarity between Athenian democracy and our own system is that only citizens have the right to vote or participate in political decision-making. In Athens, all citizens - male and over the age of 18 - were allowed political equality and the freedom

Read More

Sparta Vs Athens Research Paper

1254 Words | 6 Pages

Sparta differed from Athens because Sparta had an Oligarchy while Athens mainly had a Direct Democracy. In Sparta, Lycurgus created an Oligarchy, which means “rule by the few”. In this type of government, a selected few were only allowed to make decisions for the entire city state. The most important people of Sparta were the Gerousia. The Gerousia were a group of 28 citizens over the age of 60 who was responsible for making proposals and two kings who were in charge of managing the military.

Read More

Essay On Spartan Government

1292 Words | 6 Pages

In this essay, I would like to answer and discuss the following questions: How did the people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community? Who held public office? What rules governed the selection of public office holders? How were two city-states similar in their governmental structures and how did they differ with each other? For the Spartans the right to participate and made important decisions from the entire community were only exercised by the adult and legitimate male citizens of Sparta.

Read More

A Compare And Contrast Essay On Sparta Vs Athens

711 Words | 3 Pages

Sparta vs. Athens To begin with, Athens and Sparta were both famous in antiquity for their legend, cultures and the character of the people. On the one hand, the two poleis share certain obvious affinities, such as language, geographical scope, a common Greek ancestry etc. On the other hand, they were polar opposites in many aspects, from social spheres, political structures, to military might, which I believe there are some hidden depths in these city-states. Hence, let’s look at how did their people obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community, and who held public office first.

Read More

More about Similarities Of Athens And The Athenian Government System

Related Topics

Open Document