SS Ch.8 Lesson4

Sparta and Athens

Sparta’s government
Sparta, located on Peloponnesus, was the most powerful city-state on Peloponnesus
Spartans were descendents of Dorians
Helots, slaves owned by city-state, grew in number (1 Spartan=4 Helots)
In fear of rebellion of the Helots and enemies, the Spartans lived a military life

Life in SpartaSpartans learned to be strong and disciplined

Spartan boys / Age 7
Sent to training camps; lived together in barracks
Practiced wrestling, gymnastics, and military exercises
Learned to accept hardship without complaint and to obey orders without question
Life in Sparta

Age 18Began four years of military training to serve as soldiers
Could marry between 20 and 30
Served as soldiers until 60

Spartan girls
Exercised outdoors
Managed household and family

Life in SpartaSpartan leaders: Rarely allowed travel outside of Sparta
Trade with outsiders
Enforced a strict way of life

Why?
Because leaders didn’t want new ideas might bring unwanted change
Sparta means “simple, strict, and highly desciplined”

New Ideas in athensAthens grew wealthy from trade because their location allowed them to have many trading partners.
In 638 B.C., oligarchy replaced monarchy
In 620 B.C., Draco wrote first laws for Athens
Athens grew angry and distrustful when farmers fell into debt and couldn’t supply food

New Ideas in athens
Athens coastal location helped
it become wealthy through
trade. Draco wrote Athens’s
first laws, but they were harsh.
Solon put in place reforms
to help ordinary people.

Toward DemocracySolon set up a system that based political right on wealth and not on birth
Rights were divided in 4 classes and it was based on agricultural wealth
Most wealth= highest class
Men without property= lowest class

Persian king Cyrus II, known as “Cyrus the Great” founded Persian Empire by conquest
Emperors Cambyses and Darius I followed Cyrus and made the largest empire in history at the time
Darius I developed a government divided into 20 different regions who had a governor
Concerns about persia
When Persians conquered Asia Minor, they got control of several Greek colonies but the Persians wanted t complete control.

The Spartans began to fear the Persians and so they created a league, or a group of allies, called the Peloponnesian League