Similarities Between Sparta And Athens

Ancient Sparta and Athens had some of the most innovative governments in their era. While the two may have been opposites, they will always be remembered as picturesque societies represented democracy and oligarchy. However, there are several examples of several kinds of government in ancient Greece more traditional from these city-states. Monarchy, tyranny, oligarchy, aristocracy, and democracy are drastically diverse governments found on one country. Democracy and Aristocracy often go hand in hand as they did in ancient Athens and were different than all the other systems. Not unlike how the United States’ education and social system unwittingly creates a form of aristocracy based on wealth, Athens’ democratic power was coupled with aristocracy ensuring the elected were those of wealthy families. This system was shown through ‘500 bushel men,’ ‘horse men,’ and ‘200 bushel men.’ This was not vastly different from the oligarchy in Sparta as their system also had much to do with wealth and social status; their weak monarchies were allowed on the Gerousia despite their age. However, Sparta was not a Monarchy because of the kings’ limited power. Monarchy and tyranny, not withstanding, did exist in Greece.
Athens did not attempt to return to democracy after the monarchy of Macedonia, but were guided to democracy originally by the compassionate tyranny of Pesisistratos. Tyranny was not unconditionally a leader who mistreated and ruled with an iron fist in ancient Greece, but a usurper who disrupted a monarchy’s line. (Greece,n.d.) While the Athens had an opportunity to return to their democracy after the monarchy of Macedonia, they did not. Neither monarchies and tyranny both are completely tyrannical like dictatorships, many are benevolent like the tyranny of Pesisistratos and the monarchy of