A Comparison of Greek and Spartan Culture
The Mediterranean Sea brought together parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia and facilitated the creation of a diverse range of civilizations with unique cultures. In Europe, one of the most prominent cultures, apart from the Romans, was the Greeks. Greek culture differed greatly from city to city. For example, the Greek cities of Athens and Sparta were vastly different although they were both considered Greek. This was due to the fact that the forms of government adopted by the Athenians and the Spartans differed based on the culture that prevailed throughout the civilization.
Before examining Greek cultures, it is prudent to understand the topography of the civilizations. Greece is located on a mountainous
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The Athenian culture was characterized by an emphasis “on human beings reaching their full potential and the enrichment of personal life” (p8). This principle established what was known to Athenians as the good citizen. Rather than focusing on the ancient principle of arete or courage in the midst of battle, the Athenians found that “a concern for the good of the community…” was more important (p7). The Athenians also emphasized the Greek principle of the Polis or the community. As a result of the cultural focus on community, Athens adopted a democratic form of government. In Athens, every issue was voted on by the people based on majority rule, known as a direct democracy. Votes took place at the Athenian Assembly known as “the center of Athenian democracy” where all citizens could voice their opinions (p7). While all “citizens” could participate in politics not every resident of Athens could place a vote. Women, slaves, and foreigners were not granted citizenship and therefore could not vote. This meant that over fifty percent of Athens' total population was unable to participate in politics (The Greeks 2013 p7). With that said, Athenian democracy focused on giving its citizens political power by removing or limiting the influence of monarchs and influential families. With the Greek concept of the Polis in mind, an examination of Spartan culture will portray an entirely different
Both had councils and assemblies that played important roles in decision-making. Furthermore, both city-states had some type of executive power, albeit Sparta's was centered in a dual kingship. Differences: Athens practiced democracy, which allowed a large number of residents to participate in decision-making. The government was founded on the values of equality and majority rule (Brand, 2010).
Spartan's government structure was considered to be an oligarchy. Sparta enrolled all of its men in a life-time servitude to the military. Athens had a people's court, giving its citizens the right to participate in its legislative process.
Athens vs. Sparta Whether it's government, education, art, or military, Athens and Sparta have always had many similarities as well as differences in ancient Greece. Sparta and Athens did not share the same view and opinions. As a result of these disagreements, the two ancient Greek city-states were rivals. They both had very different methods of teaching, military training, women's rights, and more. Spartans focused most on the training of war, and Athens focused most on knowledge and intelligence.
Another factor that makes the Athenian society the best is their
At the contrary, Sparta was a city that has plenty of courageous warriors, and has developed a dictatorship government. This week in this Written Assignment I will make my better to briefly compare and contrast monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy as forms of government in Ancient Greek city states. Monarchy It is a form of government in which the ruling or rule (arkhein) power is it the hands of a single (monos) person such as a king with the help of a council advisor.
Arete placed a heavy emphasis on the good citizen, one that was greatly concerned with his community, so much so that it outweighed his goals and aspirations. These ideal citizens were expected to devote a great deal of time and energy to civic matters. These were the kind of people that Athens needed and wanted, and it is reflected very clearly on their concept of Arete. In such a democratic civilization where any citizen could vote and held the power to change laws and virtually all aspects of Athenian life, any such citizen was expected to be very involved in civic and community matters that benefited the society he lived
The Athenian political system was a key factor to the development of Athenian democracy and the idea of an ‘Athenian identity’, the creation of which can be attributed to Pisistratus, his rise to power provided a stable model for future tyrants and established him as a fair yet ruthless
Even to this day, we still use Athens and Sparta’s societal systems and structures because they were so revolutionary. Athens even introduced the idea of democracy, and Sparta had a strong military culture. Although Athens and Sparta were close together, Athens focused on leadership and education while Sparta focused on the military and war. However, due to their different governments and cultures, each has their strengths and weaknesses. However, because Athens focuses on its future leaders, Athens is the better model for a society.
The Athenian and the Spartan civilizations were very unique and different but the people shared many similar ideas. The Athenians believed that their government was original and that everyone should participate directly in government. On the other hand, the Spartans believed that every man should train for the military. Both the Spartans and Athenians believed in an equal society where the members were devoted to the polis. During this time, Athens supported a democracy.
Unlike the Romans, Athenians had a strict but fair schedule that allowed them to enjoy citizenship equally. Equally, hard workers have brought Athens power just as much as hereditary leaders. According to Document B all citizens should be allowed to speak their opinion and have a share in election because of the hard work they do to make the city powerful. Athenians allowed poor and common men to win a position in government which was a transition from the wealthy having power to everyone having power.
Today, many of the world’s government structures were based on the principle of one of Greece’s city-states. Greece became a country advancing well before its time, strong in both military and brain power. This country was able to produce two city-states that became foundations to advancing the rest of the world. The first city-state, Athens, is thought to be the first to implement a democratic government while Sparta became known for their military power. While Athens and Sparta provide the world with advancements they differ in the ways of government structures, social motivations, and cultural differences.
The Greeks displayed their humanistic values through government by they utilizing an effective system of self governing. This system was a direct democracy, defined as “government by the people” or “rule of the majority.” In the Athenian Democracy, the Assembly was the regular
The Polis and Ancient Greek Life To the Ancient Greeks, the Polis was the center of their way of life. From socializing to conducting business to even deciding whether to go to war, the Polis was a very important aspect of the Greek’s lives. In the essay, the functions of the Polis will be discussed along with how the Polis managed to bring about the formation of Democracy, with the Polis of the city of Athens being the main example. The importance of the Polis will be explored through this essay because without the Polis, Democracy as we know it may not have ever formed. In ancient Greece, the Polis was the center of everything, consisting of the main town, but also farms and villages surrounding the polis.
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.
Sparta seemed intent on consolidating power amongst its aristocratic families, while Athens moved in a different direction, attempting to keep power from gathering around any specific group, How were the two city-states similar in their governmental structures, and how did they differ? Both societies had a public assembly in which every citizen could make themselves heard. Both had relatively short terms of public office, (excluding the Gerousia) and both believed in reaching a consensus before enacting policy. Athens had a much larger group of citizens who had a much greater influence on matters of policy, and Sparta was a much more streamlined machine, geared toward making war, and maintaining military readiness.