Athens, Sparta Comparison

Both Athens and Sparta are recognized as being highly developed cultures, being depicted as

strong, intelligent people. However, living only a mere 200 km from each other, as they both

developed, they each gained very distinct cultures. In this essay, I will compare the two societies, to

determine which is more superior.

Both Athens and Sparta at the peak of their societies had a population of roughly 400,000. Up to

a quarter of Athens’ population was due to conquest of land and people, keeping them as their slaves.

Marriage in Athens was also less about “love” as we see it, and more about keeping the economy and

society running smoothly. It was more like a moral obligation to their state than anything, to give birth

and help the numbers grow. With Sparta, however, keeping up their numbers was more difficult. Every

child was brought to a group of elders to be examined, and if they deemed the child unfit, lacking

strength or motive, he was sent to be thrown in a cave to die. Thus, only the most tough and fit of the

Spartans lived. Sparta over the years also captured all the city-states surrounding it, which led to their

numbers being spread even thinner across it, as they didn’t allow the slaves they obtained from conquest

to be “Spartans” at all.

In Athens, small farms grew grain, olives, grapes and vegetables. The farmers also raised goats,

sheep and chickens. However, these small farms did not produce enough goods for all of Athens, so

trading was essential for enough food. Since they lived by the sea, they became well-known for their

trading, giving up fine products such as pottery, honey, and olive oil, for food and other types of

products. Sparta, forcing all men to become warriors, did not allow their own people to become farmers

or workers, and outside trading was shunned, as they did not want outside ideas tainting their own. I am

guessing that the people they conquered were forced to grow food for them on the land they obtained.

Sparta had undoubtedly one of the strongest political government of the age. From the moment

a child is born, they are tested to see if they can live under Sparta’s reign. From a young age they are

slowly created to be the perfect soldiers, their mind and body strengthened every day in the barracks, set

out to defend their country against revolts and attackers, fighting for their state and for loyalty. Nobody

inside their land dare step out of line, as they believed themselves to be the greatest race. Athens,

however, was run as a democracy, so everybody had their say, if they were of age. Their laws would not

be much different from ours today.

Sparta education was mediocre at best. Since young boys were being trained to be excellent

soldiers, education came down to only the necessities. However, in Athens, education was as important

as it is today, and thing such as discussion and ideas were highly encouraged. Boys at the age of seven

were sent to private schools if their family could afford it, where they took physical training, learned to

play the lyre, and how to write, while girls stayed at home to be taught necessary domestic skills for

when they become a mother.

Both societies held the same type of class structure, with government being at the top, and

farther down the list were free men who only were asked to serve their state, women, who couldn’t have

a say in politics but had much freedom anyways, and slaves and people they have conquered being at

the bottom.

In my opinion, I believe that, after these comparisons, Sparta is the better civilization suited to

survive. They may have gotten rid of more “social” things that are found in civilizations, but it was given

up so they could devote their time to becoming the strongest, most well-kept society, and even then

they had lots of freedom.