Instructions
Although they were a part of the Greek Civilization, the city-states of Athens and Sparta differed from each other in many ways.
1. Elaborate upon the social differences between Athens and Sparta with special emphasis on the following:
Introduction - Greece was not a single cohesive nation in antiquity. Instead, it was composed of numerous cities-states (polies). Although it had the size and features of a city, a city-state conducted its own foreign policy and developed their own governmental sociocultural norms and legal systems. They occasionally even waged war against one another. Of all the ancient Greek city-states, Athens and Sparta, both located on the Greek peninsula, were the most powerful and famous (Noonan, n.d.).
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The education system
Greek education placed a high value on learning to read, write, exercise, and play musical instruments. However, before the fifth century B.C., there is no clear evidence of any schools in the ancient Greek civilization. Prior to this, it is believed that education in Greece was primarily supplied by private tutors (Garland, 2020).
Athens- Boys in Athens received formal education to be excellent citizens. They began their formal schooling around the age of seven. Education blended classroom instruction with physical activity. Though Athenians were thought to be more democratic and intelligent than other Greek states, they fell short when it came to teaching their daughters. Girls only received household management skills from their mothers at home, but did not receive any formal education (Garland, 2020).
Sparta - Girls were formally educated and also received military training. Spartans placed a great importance on discipline and strength. All Spartan youngsters were prepared for battle from the age of seven. They learned to wrestle, box, run races, and do gymnastics. Spartan boys lived and trained in structures known as barracks. Boys were taught to read and write, but they were not deemed as important as military skills (Teachers’ Curriculum Institute,
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For instance, they were unable to inherit or own much property, they were not allowed to participate in voting or the Assembly. Most women were not allowed to select their own husbands. Most of them spent their days caring for the home and raising their kids. Their duties included weaving, spinning, and overseeing the slaves. An Athenian wife tutored her sons until they were about 6 or 7 and prepared to enter school. She also tutored her daughters till they were 15 and ready to get married (Teachers’ Curriculum Institute,