Running Head: Athens and Sparta: Similarities and Differences in Government

Athens And Sparta: Similarities and Differences in Government

Michael Ohl
University of the People

Running Head: Athens and Sparta: Similarities and Differences in Government

Abstract
This paper will look at the Spartan and Athenian people at the times of their power discussing how they
were both similar to one another as well as how they differed. We will answer the questions of how the
people obtained the right to participate in public life and make decisions for their people. We will also
discuss public office and how these were distributed among the people as well as the rules that allowed
them to be selected. After we have discussed each of the cultures separately and answered those
questions we will be gin to compare and contrast them to see how each was compared to the other.

Running Head: Athens and Sparta: Similarities and Differences in Government

Athens and Sparta: Similarities and Differences in Government
The Spartan people were a hardy group of warriors who had conquered the neighboring city
states of Lakonia and Messenia absorbing them into their territory (Powell, 1988). These people were
know mostly as the Helots and were a slave class among the Spartans. There was another group as
well, the Periokoi, who were free men but still lesser and considered inferior to the spartans themselves
who were vastly outnumbered in their territory by these groups. While the Healots worked mostly as
farmers and slave labors for the Spartans the Periokoi were skilled craftsmen, traders and auxiliary
military units in the Spartan army (Brand, n.d.). The Spartans themselves were setup almost entirely as
military, the males being joined to the military for service from 7 until 60, with life expectancy of 35,
causing them to be lifelong soldiers. The women on the other hand were expected only to have as many
sons as possible.
Spartan government was mainly an ogliarchy where the richest families held power. The two
royal families each provided a king for life while elder men of 60 and above made up the Gerousia or
elder council. Then there were five Ephors who were elected each year and were only able to serve on
term. The Ephors were the only non-aristocratic part of the government in Sparta with any real power.
Lastly there was the general assembly which was made up of all Spartan men who were free and had
not been dishonored or lost their rights to this group. The general assembly voted for laws and when to
go to war, but they were only able to vote on matters that had been passed on to them from the
Gerousia.
Athens was a democracy, the orign of this type of government, known for it's great works of art,
poetry, and philosophy rather than it's military might such as Sparta (Powell, 1988). Athens was
divided into ten tribes all across their lands that had members from all roles in society. These tribes
were all part of a general assembly that could meet and vote. Then there was the Boule which was the
legislative council and made up of 50 men from each of the tribes across Athens. They were in charge

Running Head: Athens and Sparta: Similarities and Differences in Government

of legislative agenda and set the items that would be voted on by the geneal populace of Athens. Much
like in Sparta, in Athens free men over 20 were able to vote while the women and slaves were
excluded. To serve in a public office the citizen required a certain level of wealth and had to be at least
30 years old (Brand, n.d.).
As stated the Athenians and Spartans differed greatly in how they ruled their people. In Athens
more men were able to vote as well as hold office. Also Athens tended to have more people in
government with numbers near a thousand in governmental positions, many of the lesser positions
being held by poor or non-aristocrats. In Sparta there were only five positions of notable power that
were held by the non-aristocratic and they were all short lived and not able to be repeated. They were
similar in that there were two councils, one an elder's council that decided the agenda of legislative
action while the other was a general council made up of all eligible voters.
References
Powell, A. (1988). Athens and Sparta (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
Brand, P. (n.d.). Athens & Sparta: Democracy vs. Dictatorship. Retrieved April 13, 2015, from
http://my.uopeople.edu/mod/resource/view.php?id=60810