The two ancient Greek cities, namely Athens and Sparta, were rivals, despite having different values, cultures and lifestyles. Their government, society and gender roles were equally different.
Government
Sparta was under the rules of kings who ruled till death or thrown out of power. Athenians were under archons, and they were elected in office every year. In terms of government, Athenians believed in democracy (Perry et al. 2015). The assembly made laws, and citizens voted. The power was vested in people. In contrast, Spartans had a mixed type of government that embraced aristocracy and monarchy. Power was vested in a few individuals. The five elected leaders made laws.
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Society
In terms of societal setting, the two cities were different. In terms of population, Athens was larger. The economy of Athens depended on agriculture and trade, while Spartan economy was purely dependent on agriculture (Perry et al. 2015). Military services in Athens were optional, while it was mandatory in Sparta. The Athens was on Ionian decent, while the Spartans descendants were the Dorian invaders.
Gender Roles
In Sparta, men beyond the age of thirty were recognized as full citizens and expected to get married. In contrast, men in Athens were the only ones recognized as real citizens. They were charged with the responsibility of growing crops and harvesting.
Boys in ancient Sparta would leave home at the age of 7 to go train as armies and offer security to Sparta. They were equipped with strict education based on physical strength. Boys below the age of 17 learned singing, dancing, writing and reading. In contrast, Athen boys were allowed to take young upon reaching three years old (Perry et al. 2015). Unlike the Sparta boys who joined military at seven years, the Athen boys would begin school at seven years. They were taught how to write, read, and play musical instruments and math. Both Athens and Sparta were keen on offering physical education to their boys.
Spartan women took part in physical exercises and were taught running, wrestling, music and dancing. They were allowed to ride horses and chariots. In contrast, Athenian women had no choices. If lucky, they would play instruments and read. They were not allowed to vote or own anything valuable (Perry et al. 2015).
Girls in Sparta remained at home until they reached 18, while in Athens; they remained at home until they got married. Their fathers decided who they will get married to.
In view of the two cities, Athens city best embodied ancient Greek ideals and practices. Athens was the hallmark of many important ideas, as people studied science, history and philosophy. Athenians had a democratic government that is still being practiced in Greek, and most of the statues and temples they built are still in existence.
References
Perry, M. et al. (2015). Western Civilization: Ideas, Politics, and Society. 11 th Ed. New York, NY: Cengage Learning
