Athens and Sparta were similar in their form of government. In both instances, there was an Assembly. The members of this institution were elected by the people. At the helm of Sparta's leadership were two kings that ruled until their death. However, archons ruled Athens, and they were elected annually. 1 Based on this reason, I would have loved to live in Athens because, unlike Sparta, it allowed for leaders' democratic election. Also, Athens promoted a life of creativity. Athenians could get the much-required education, including arts and sciences. Individuals were also allowed to willfully serve in the military. Sparta only allowed individuals to become warriors, which is not as exciting as the opportunities present in Athens.
I am also inclined to Athens because of its aggressive nature. Unlike Sparta, Athenians were hell-bent on concurring the land that bordered them. 2 Although this often led to conflicts, it set the city to more victories and power. Spartans were more reserved and seemed content with whatever they had. They only provided military assistance where necessary. I believe that such an attitude is inappropriate, especially considering the context in which they lived. The cities existed in a period of turmoil where peace was looked at from a lens of weakness. I would also have preferred to live in Athens thanks to its economy based on trade. I believe that this would have provided me with better opportunities to develop as a person. The economy of Sparta, on the other hand, was agricultural-based as it depended on farming. 3 Trading provides more opportunities than farming considering that the latter is affected by weather conditions.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Bibliography
Powell, Anton. Athens and Sparta: Constructing Greek political and social history from 478 BC. Routledge, 2016.
1 Powell, Anton. Athens and Sparta: constructing Greek political and social history from 478 BC. Routledge, 2016.
2 Ibid., 39.
3 Ibid., 40.
