Athens and Sparta were the two opponents of ancient Greece that clattered most and bestowed us with the majority of customs and traditions. Despite the fact that the two poleis were close together geographically, both differed greatly in their values and ways of living1.
Athens and Sparta: History
The enriching, intellectual and artistic heritage of ancient Athens to the world is immense and immeasurable. The indications to the Greek legacy that flourish in the civilization of Western Europe are attributed to Athenian civilization. Athens was made the strongest Greek city-state after the Persian Wars. Though it was a good deal smaller and less dominant than Sparta at the beginning of the wars, Athens was more energetic, efficient and effectual in the warfare against Persian Empire. Miltiades, Themistocles, and Cimon were the Athenian heroes who were mainly responsible for making the city strong. Athens reached the pinnacle of its cultural and colonial triumph in the era of Pericles (443 -- 429 B.C.). The unparalleled Parthenon was built during this time along with the flourishing of sculpture and painting. This was the time when Athens became the hub of intellectual life. Nevertheless, the contention between Athens and Sparta continued and the Peloponnesian War between the two poleis took place. Even though the war went poorly for Athens, the troubled times could not discontinue her achievements in philosophy, drama, and art. Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, Thucydides all remained active. Regardless of the fact that the magnificence and splendor of Athens diminished in the 3rd century B.C., its past contributions spread throughout the globe in Hellenistic culture2.
Sparta, on the other hand, was founded by Dorian Greeks. Sparta enjoyed an era of wealth and culture ancient city B.C. However, the ancient city-state only concentrated on the military arts after 600 B.C. And by that time, it became the strongest Greek city. The Persian Wars strengthened its rivalry against Athens. In 464 B.C., an earthquake struck the city that weakened it massively. However, the Romans made the city prosperous but by 395 A.D., the Goths had devastated it3.
An Analysis of the two Poleis
Ancient Greece is renowned as the origin of western civilization. It was the Greeks who introduced the concept of democracy and innovative ideas in scientific and artistic fields. Ancient Greece was not a single country. In its place, independent city-states were present who possessed their own regime and armed forces. Athens and Sparta were the most influential and dominant states. Both did not have sufficient means to feed their people. This caused them to conquer states that possessed ample food supplies. Whenever they conquered such small city-states, the Athenians or Spartans offered them protection against the enemies4.
Although the two city-states were close together on the map, their beliefs and principles, societies, forms of governance and the basic approach towards living were drastically different. Athens was one of the most important cities of ancient Greece due to its cultural and philosophical triumphs that laid the foundations of an innovative western society. In contrast, the warring Sparta was famous as a hostile power and was renowned as having a machismo culture. Thus, while Sparta was completely motivated by wars and clashes, Athens was popular for achieving the most extraordinary philosophical, artistic and scientific milestones in human history 4.
The two cultures also had ancestry as the basic dissimilarity between them. The Dorian invaders were the ascendants of the Spartans whereas the Athenians were descended from the Ionians. In Ancient Greece, two forms of government existed at that time i.e. democracy and oligarchy. Two kings along with a council consisting of twenty-eight elders ruled Sparta. Spartan citizens over 30 years of age elected this type of oligarchic government. On the other hand, it was Athenians who were the pioneers of democracy in ancient Greece. Athens was under...
Ancient Sparta The city of Sparta is located along the Eurotas River, in the southern Greek island of Peloponnesus. Today, the city serves as the capital of the Lakonia province and is home to a few thousand people and ruins of temples and ancient public buildings. The appearance of modern Sparta belies its importance in antiquity. Ancient Sparta was the most powerful and important Greek city-state at the conclusion of the Peloponnesian
Athens and Sparta were two most powerful states in Ancient Greece. Athens was known for its undying focus on infrastructural development while Sparta had an unmatched military prowess. As such, Sparta was the most powerful Greek state. Although the two states are very close geographically, they do have contrasting lifestyles, governance structures, military strength and economic systems (Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Greece. 1998). Government Unlike Athens, which was a democracy government, Sparta
Spartan and Athenian constitutional and political systems. In the first part, an introduction of Athens and Sparta has been given. In the second part, both the forms of governments in Spartan and Athenian lands have been discussed. In the final part, a summary of the differences and similarities between the political systems of the two poleis have been included. Ancient Greece is well-known as the starting point of western civilization.
Thucydides was an Athenian, but had very little reason for offering a distorted view of the war that was eventually won by Sparta. Jackson states, "Thucydides was an active participant in Athens for a time, he had a network of contacts, while banished to Thrace he observed the war there first hand, and as an Athenian exile he traveled along the Peloponnese" (Jackson, p.175). Thucydides wrote of a Sparta that
policies of Pericles contributed to the expanding power and influence of the Athenian Empire Pericles was an Athenian political leader mostly accountable for the complete growth in the 5th century, of both the empire and democracy of Athens. As a result, Athens became the political and social focus of Greece. His success involved the development of the Acropolis, started in 447. During the Athens' golden era, philosophy, sculpture, drama, poems
Except for Miletus, which was sacked as an initiator of the revolt, the other cities were treated rather reasonably, going as far as recommendations for the settled Persians to respect local religious traditions (Herodotus VI 42-45). This does not necessarily need to be seen only as a reasonable conquering policy, but also as a diplomatic and political approach: once Darius asked for the submissions of mainland Greek cities, many of
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