Athens & Sparta: Similarities & Differences - Essay Sample

Introduction

Athens and Sparta were two of the greatest cities in Greek states. These cities have various things in common and have differences as well. In spite of the way that they had a similar legacy and language, old Spartans and antiquated Athenians were altogether different, and the two city-states were not on the friendliest of terms. The Spartans were warriors, restrained and solid, and constantly prepared to pass on for their country. Athenians, then again, were instructed and the individuals who were not troopers were savants, government officials, journalists of catastrophes and comedies, artists, and stone carvers. Both Athens and Sparta had a similar type of government. They were administered by an assembly, whose individuals were chosen by the general population. In any case, two lords rule the Spartan gathering. These lords rule the city until they bite the dust or are constrained out of office. Then again, Athens had a yearly race. They chose individuals from the get together whom they called Archons. In light of this training, it is trusted that Athens is the origination of Democracy. Despite all those differences and similarities, children, men, and women in ancient Athens and Athens Sparta had different roles. This would raise the question, what was expected of men, women, and children in Ancient Athens and Ancient Sparta? Although the family life in Ancient Athens and Ancient Sparta was similar, they had similarities as well.

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In Ancient Athens, men had their freedom. Davidson (p.597) asserted that men were mostly out in the open. The author affirmed, "men dominated outside spaces and, in particular, the central public spaces of the assembly and the Agora, the civic, judicial and commercial center" (Davidson p.597). As it appears, men were above women and children. Men slaves had their quarters. According to the Xenophon Symposium, men had quarters, which were furnished, decorated, and embellished with men (Davidson p.601). Seemingly, in classical Ancient Athens, men were given preferential treatment and that is why they were allowed to roam outside of the house at their free will. On the other hand, in Ancient Sparta, men were expected to be in the military. Walsh (p.1) affirmed that "Young men could marry at the age of twenty, but they had to continue living in the military barracks without their wives." According to the author, Training now included composed group battles and wrestling matches. No fouls were ever called all moves were viewed as reasonable play (Walsh p.1). Young fellows additionally joined military eating clubs, called syssitia, whose participation numbers ran from fifteen to around three hundred. Participation in an eating club was a necessity for full Spartan citizenship (Walsh p.1). At age twenty-four Spartan men finished their military preparing, and at age thirty they turned out to be full-time troopers and residents. They presently could live with their spouses, yet they kept on serving in the military (Walsh p.1).

In Ancient Athens, women were confined. As Davidson (p.597) articulated, women were not much exposed to the outside as their life mostly revolved around the household. The author affirmed, "One often-repeated generalization about men's space and women's space in the classical Greek polis is that women were confined as much as possible to the domestic interior" (Davidson p.597). Evidently, women had little choices available to them. Since the men were rarely in the household, women had control of the household. Davidson (p.597) indicated that according to Xenophon, the gendered division of spaces in Athens was part of the God-given natural order as the nature of women's task was meant to be inside and not outside. Women had their quarters. As Davidson (p.601) notes, the Xenophon's Symposium women slave's quarters was a place where they were locked away from other men. On the other hand, in Ancient Sparta, women had their freedom but were also expected to fight for the country. Walsh (p.1) asserted, "The Lycurgan system produced men and women who were proud of Sparta and considered it a great honor to die in battle for their city." Women enjoyed a lot more noteworthy freedom and autonomy in Sparta than in other Greek city-states. Since mothers had little obligation regarding the consideration of their kids, they were not as attached to the home as most Greek women were. They were permitted to walk abroad in the city and execute their very own issues. They possessed their very own property. Their spouses were just a minor piece of their lives, and with the exception of in issues identifying with the military were commonly their very own lords.

In Ancient Athens, children were expected to be obedient. Halsall (p.1) asserted, "add we now to these things some others of which children ought to have no less, yes, rather greater care; to-wit, that they avoid luxurious living, bridle their tongues, subdue anger and refrain their hands" (Halsall, p.1). Seemingly, children had to be obedient to their parents and the law of Athens. Children were made to keep away from talking filthily, seeing, as Democritus stated, words are nevertheless the shadows of activities. They are, also, to be told to be approachable and respectful in talk. According to Halsall (p.1), for as brutish habits are constantly abominable, so children might be kept from being detestable in the discussion, in the event that they will not be pertinaciously twisted to keep up all the state in the contest. The author added that for it is useful to a man to comprehend how to survive, yet in addition how to give ground when to vanquish would go to his inconvenience. On the contrary, in Ancient Sparta, children were nurtured to be soldiers from birth. Halsall (p.1) indicated, "for as it is needful that the members of children be shaped aright as soon as they are born, that they may not afterward prove crooked and distorted, so it is no less expedient that their manners be well-fashioned from the very beginning" (Halsall p.1). Sparta was a city of war. So, it is unsurprising to know that their children, both girls, and boys were trained to be soldiers since birth. As it appears, if a person was a child in Sparta, they were expected to be strong, have strong genetics and learn things fast. Undeniably, as soon as they were born, Spartan children had a responsibility bestowed upon them to serve Sparta in the military, and in order to serve Sparta, the children had to be strong and learn things fast.

As noted, the family life in Ancient Athens and Ancient Sparta was similar, they had similarities as well. In spite of the fact that the Spartans did not have a family life as we consider it, there is proof that now and again in any event Spartan people had close connections to their youngsters and with one another. Their framework surely was well-requested and kept away from the "ethical degeneration" they detested in the Athenians who they saw as floundering in extravagances. Also, there is no uncertainty that the framework delivered solid troopers. The Spartan armed force was unbelievable in antiquated Greece, and the legend proceeds right up 'til the present time. Evidently, the Spartans were the ones that needed a solid armed force, a human advancement with no opportunity and less instruction for men so they could battle in the military. The Athenians had a solid armed force yet opportunity was significant and the training to the general population was a need. Overall, despite those differences and similarities, Athens and Sparta continue to be the most influential cities in Greece.

Works Cited

Walsh, Brian. Life in Ancient Sparta. Calliope, vol. 5, Issue 2.

Davidson, James. Bodymaps: Sexing Space and Zoning Gender in Ancient Athens. Gender & History, Vol.23 No.3, pp. 597-614. 2011.

Halsall, Paul. Plutarch: The Training of Children, c. 110 CE. Fordham University. 1996. Accessible at https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/plutarch-education.asp