The Athenians and the Spartans were each very different groups of peoples. Those brought up in Sparta were raised to a higher standard of physical strength and endurance, while those who grew up in Athens were taught from in early age to be the artists and intellectual thinkers. The Athenians believed in a more culturally enriched society, which made it a more prosperous city-state when compared to the Spartans who believed more in a society that is dominated by its military prowess. Because of its use of arts and culture, among other things,
Athens choice of government was the leading example for the governments of nearly all societies we know of today.
The Athenians thrived on the freedom that was granted to them from their government,
which …show more content…
It was these votes that became law.1 The Athenians democracy was an excellent form of government, as it allowed the citizens to create their own laws and dictate their own lives.
The ways our different governments have advanced, even within the last century or so can equally compare to the advancements of democracy in Ancient Greece, especially because many of our modern democracies are based off of these ancient stepping stones. As Thucydides stated in his History of the Peloponnesian War, “Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy.”2 You can see from this 1 “Western Civilization I; Section 7: Athenian Democracy,” Regent University, last modified August 3,
2013.
2 Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War: The Funeral Oration of Pericles, (Regent University,
2018), 1.
2
statement that the Athenians thrived on living as a group than having to rely on the few to make decisions for the rest.
A Major downside to this Athenian way of life, especially compared to …show more content…
The city-state of Sparta was almost entirely based on the building and maintaining of an incredible military. They were a community of legendarily fierce warriors. This was founded on a form of government described in The Republic by Plato, with the ideas of Socrates. Plato describes the government of Sparta as that of a timocracy, a sort of branch of oligarchy. a government of honor.
Plato suggests that a problem with the Spartans and their timocracy was their abstinence from the things that make a culture what it is, such as their creativity, agriculture, and trade.4
Instead, Sparta placed military as the top priority, and as Plato so rightfully states, those that they put in power worked to have Sparta waging an everlasting war.5 They would seek money instead of the advancement in political theory, and though they had ambition, it was wasted on 3 “Western Civilization I; Section 7: Athenian Democracy”.
4 Plato, The Republic, (Regent University, 2013), 2.
5 Ibid.,
Athens choice of government was the leading example for the governments of nearly all societies we know of today.
The Athenians thrived on the freedom that was granted to them from their government,
which …show more content…
It was these votes that became law.1 The Athenians democracy was an excellent form of government, as it allowed the citizens to create their own laws and dictate their own lives.
The ways our different governments have advanced, even within the last century or so can equally compare to the advancements of democracy in Ancient Greece, especially because many of our modern democracies are based off of these ancient stepping stones. As Thucydides stated in his History of the Peloponnesian War, “Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy.”2 You can see from this 1 “Western Civilization I; Section 7: Athenian Democracy,” Regent University, last modified August 3,
2013.
2 Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War: The Funeral Oration of Pericles, (Regent University,
2018), 1.
2
statement that the Athenians thrived on living as a group than having to rely on the few to make decisions for the rest.
A Major downside to this Athenian way of life, especially compared to …show more content…
The city-state of Sparta was almost entirely based on the building and maintaining of an incredible military. They were a community of legendarily fierce warriors. This was founded on a form of government described in The Republic by Plato, with the ideas of Socrates. Plato describes the government of Sparta as that of a timocracy, a sort of branch of oligarchy. a government of honor.
Plato suggests that a problem with the Spartans and their timocracy was their abstinence from the things that make a culture what it is, such as their creativity, agriculture, and trade.4
Instead, Sparta placed military as the top priority, and as Plato so rightfully states, those that they put in power worked to have Sparta waging an everlasting war.5 They would seek money instead of the advancement in political theory, and though they had ambition, it was wasted on 3 “Western Civilization I; Section 7: Athenian Democracy”.
4 Plato, The Republic, (Regent University, 2013), 2.
5 Ibid.,