Athens vs. Sparta

Built along the coast like most other Greek cities were, Athens was largely dependent on its navy. Highly dependent on trade for both food and luxuries they developed a strong navy to defeat pirates and blockades alike. Ranks in the Athenian navy were about as corrupt as the British army however, depending on how much your family was willing to pay you could go as far as a Admiral or as low as a cabin boy. The Trireme was solely responsible for the defeat of Xerxes’ fleet, which would have otherwise landed overwhelming amounts of solders.

The Spartans, against the norm of their fellow Greeks were not built against the sea. Therefore they had little to no navy, but this mattered little since they were well inland. The Spartans instead were men of steel, unmatched by all others. There foot soldiers were raised from childhood to live off the land in combat situations and were literally bred for war. Every Spartan male was born a soldier, lived the life of a soldier and was expected to die like a soldier. A common Spartan was saying “return with your shield or on it” (Durant, Will 1939) Since the heavy Spartans shields made retreat with it

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impossible the only way to return with it was victory. The shields also served another purpose. Fallen soldiers were carried from the battlefield by their shields as if they were stretchers.

Conquerors of water and land the Athenian’s and Spartans’ were. These potent symbols which so defined their civilizations, were of such value the Persians would gamble so much for them. However the Greek’s showed their value and held on for freedom and democracy. The Athenian boy’s dreamed of leading glorious conquest in foreign land and returning with exotic riches. They fought out of greed and need to better themselves. For the Spartans though, it was a different story. The Spartans did not dream of conquest for they had no possessions and were expected to fight. Spartans fought for glory, the honour of their people. They were born to fight, not to further their families’ goals for power and money. For them it was just something pure.

The Spartan Code was responsible for the creation of generation of warriors. The code was an unwritten law designed to keep the Spartan citizens in top physical prowess and encourage the breeding of a perfect people. Exert from The Life of Greece Durant(1939) “absurb that people should be so solicitous for their dogs and horses as to exert interest and pay money to procure fine breeding, and yet keep their wives shut up, to be made mothers only by themselves who might be foolish, infirm, or diseased” (Durant, 1939 p.81) . Bachelorhood was unknown to the Spartans since they believed that everyone should do their best to breed a finer generation. They claimed that adultery was eliminated in their society since people were expected to sleep with others to improve their offspring. Every Spartan lived under this code from their time of birth. As male children they were subject to different training outlined in the code. An example of this would be feeding the boys less than they need so that they would be forced to steal and forage the land like they would need to in times of war.

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Lycurgus, writer of the Spartan Code, told a story after years of travel to other civilizations. The story was of 2 pups born of the same litter; from the time of their birth they were separated. One pup was given the finest feed and grooming. The other was given the bear necessities and rigorous training. One day both dogs were released in a small field which contained little more than grass and a small stream. After a few days the dogs were checked on, and only the disciplined one had survived. As in ancient Greece the disciplined Spartans conquered the Athenians because of the petty conflicts they burdened themselves with. The Spartans were a simple people with a clear road in front of them. Like wise the Athenian’s each walked their own path to explore and please humanities pleasures. Divided by thought they argued amongst themselves as Spartans soldiers marched. The Spartans were not the people of the future however they may have been the ideal people of the time.