What Is The Difference Between Sparta And Athens
Athens and Sparta in the ancient Greece world are both revered by many modern civilizations as being foundry influences on modern democracy. The two city states, however, were polar opposites in how they viewed democracy and ran their government. Sparta was known for its military prowess and power, while Athens has always been famed for its progress in the arts and sciences. While both being developmentally different and butting heads sometimes, they both were integral voices on how similar democratic societies ran their governments up until today. The defining differences between the two is that Athens was a heavily class based Democracy, compared to Sparta which was more definable as being an Oligarchy.
Different from the government structure
of other Poleis, Spartan government included two ruling kings from separate royal families, and a high council of elders. They had an assembly of demos, much like other Greek Poleis, but their power was relatively weak in comparison to the other governmental bodies. The Elders Council held an especially high amount of power, consisting of five elected magistrates called Ephors and 30 men called Gerousia. Ephors served one year terms, and were elected by popular vote of the assembly. Becoming an Ephor was the only route to attain political power for non-aristocratic Spartan citizens. At age 60, Spartans were eligible to serve as members of the elite elder council, or the Gerousia. They would remain members for life, but there were only 30 members at a time. The Gerousia was similar to the Athenian Aeropagus, usually dominated by more wealthy and conservative elements of Spartan society. No law or issue could come before the assembly without the approval of the Gerousia and the Ephors. All recognized free male citizens were a part of the popular assembly. The assembly met monthly and had electoral powers to determine the annual Ephors and new members of the Gerousia when a spot became available among the 30. Athens was a heavily class based Democracy. Their society consisted of a combination of aristocrats and commoners, but political power was determined mostly by wealth. The richest men, also known as the "500 Bushel Men", could seek the highest political offices which included the 10 annually elected generals who served as the main military and civilian officers. Below them were the "Horse Men" or "300 Bushel Men" who were wealthy enough to provide horses for the military. They could hold lesser political positions of power and serve in the military. Next were the "200 Bushel Men", a type of middle class who were wealthy enough to equip themselves with armor and weapons to serve in the military, and also served in minor political offices. These top three classifications of wealthy men were referred to as Thetes. The Thetes also had the privilege to serve on juries. Any less wealthy of them were the urban and the landless poor. They were free men who could participate in the assembly, but where ineligible for military services due to wealth and were often positioned with rowing Triemes in battle. The assembly in Athenian society consisted of any free men with Athenian parents over the age of 20. The assembly met 2-3 times per month and members could also serve on juries or be chosen as a juror or minor official through a lottery system. Each system had a unique structure of government and methods in which officials were elected to positions of power. Both throughout history have been defined as being democratic or having features of democracy within its system. Even though Sparta was probably more close to being an Oligarchy than a democracy, they still had elements of democracy within their government, such as The Assembly, and election through popular vote of The Assembly. Athens was closest to being a true democracy, but still had some minor Oligarchical elements to it such as the political power system based on class wealth. Athens and Sparta a different yet similar, but none the less important in their influence on modern democracy.
Different from the government structure
of other Poleis, Spartan government included two ruling kings from separate royal families, and a high council of elders. They had an assembly of demos, much like other Greek Poleis, but their power was relatively weak in comparison to the other governmental bodies. The Elders Council held an especially high amount of power, consisting of five elected magistrates called Ephors and 30 men called Gerousia. Ephors served one year terms, and were elected by popular vote of the assembly. Becoming an Ephor was the only route to attain political power for non-aristocratic Spartan citizens. At age 60, Spartans were eligible to serve as members of the elite elder council, or the Gerousia. They would remain members for life, but there were only 30 members at a time. The Gerousia was similar to the Athenian Aeropagus, usually dominated by more wealthy and conservative elements of Spartan society. No law or issue could come before the assembly without the approval of the Gerousia and the Ephors. All recognized free male citizens were a part of the popular assembly. The assembly met monthly and had electoral powers to determine the annual Ephors and new members of the Gerousia when a spot became available among the 30. Athens was a heavily class based Democracy. Their society consisted of a combination of aristocrats and commoners, but political power was determined mostly by wealth. The richest men, also known as the "500 Bushel Men", could seek the highest political offices which included the 10 annually elected generals who served as the main military and civilian officers. Below them were the "Horse Men" or "300 Bushel Men" who were wealthy enough to provide horses for the military. They could hold lesser political positions of power and serve in the military. Next were the "200 Bushel Men", a type of middle class who were wealthy enough to equip themselves with armor and weapons to serve in the military, and also served in minor political offices. These top three classifications of wealthy men were referred to as Thetes. The Thetes also had the privilege to serve on juries. Any less wealthy of them were the urban and the landless poor. They were free men who could participate in the assembly, but where ineligible for military services due to wealth and were often positioned with rowing Triemes in battle. The assembly in Athenian society consisted of any free men with Athenian parents over the age of 20. The assembly met 2-3 times per month and members could also serve on juries or be chosen as a juror or minor official through a lottery system. Each system had a unique structure of government and methods in which officials were elected to positions of power. Both throughout history have been defined as being democratic or having features of democracy within its system. Even though Sparta was probably more close to being an Oligarchy than a democracy, they still had elements of democracy within their government, such as The Assembly, and election through popular vote of The Assembly. Athens was closest to being a true democracy, but still had some minor Oligarchical elements to it such as the political power system based on class wealth. Athens and Sparta a different yet similar, but none the less important in their influence on modern democracy.