It can be noted from your readings that although part of the Greek civilization, Athens and Sparta had certain dissimilarities in their government structures. Reflect on your readings and answer the following questions.
Introduction
The ancient Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta are often compared and contrasted due to their vastly different government structures. Athens is known for its democratic system, while Sparta is known for its military oligarchy. These two city-states were rivals, and their differences in government structure played a significant role in their conflicts. Overall, the differences in the government structures of Athens and Sparta had a great impact on their societies and cultures. These differences will be explored in detail in the following sections of this paper.
Body
How did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community?
In Athens, the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community was granted to all male citizens who were over the age of 18 and born in Athens. This meant that they had to have Athenian parents and be born within the city’s boundaries. Women, slaves, and foreigners were excluded from participating in the government. This system of government was a direct democracy, where all citizens had a say in decision-making through the Assembly. The Assembly was made up of all male citizens who met at least once a month to vote on laws and policies. Any citizen could speak at the Assembly, and decisions were made by a majority vote.
In addition to the Assembly, Athens had other institutions that allowed citizens to participate in public life. The Council of 500 was a group of citizens who were chosen by lot to serve for one year. They were responsible for preparing the agenda for the Assembly and overseeing the city’s administration. The courts were also open to all male citizens, where they could serve as jurors and decide on legal cases (Britannica, 2023).
In contrast, in Sparta, the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community was limited to a small group of elite citizens known as Spartiates. These citizens were descendants of the original inhabitants of Sparta and were required to undergo rigorous military training from a young age. The government of Sparta was an oligarchy, where power was held by a small group of citizens. The two kings were the highest-ranking officials in Sparta, but they had limited power. The real power lay with the Council of Elders, which was made up of 28 men over the age of 60. They were responsible for proposing laws and policies, and they had the power to veto any decision made by the Assembly (HistoryForce, 2020).
The Assembly in Sparta was made up of all male citizens over the age of 30, but they had limited power. They could only vote on proposals put forward by the Council of Elders, and they could not propose laws or policies themselves. The courts in Sparta were also limited, and most legal disputes were settled by the Council of Elders.
Who held public office? What rules governed the selection of public office holders?
In Athens, public office was held by elected officials who were chosen by lot. Any free-born male citizen over the age of 30 was eligible to hold public office. This system of selecting officials by lot was designed to ensure that all citizens had the opportunity to participate in government and prevent corruption (History, 2019).
In Sparta, public office was held by a small group of elected officials called ephors, who served for one year. The ephors were responsible for enforcing the laws and overseeing the education of young men. In addition, there were two kings who held hereditary positions of authority. The kings were responsible for leading the military and overseeing foreign affairs.
How were the two city-states similar in their governmental structures? How did they differ?
Athens and Sparta were similar in that they both had a form of government that was based on a system of checks and balances. In Athens, the government was based on a direct democracy, where citizens participated in the decision-making process. In Sparta, the government was based on a mixed system of monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy. One key similarity between Athens and Sparta was that both city-states had a council of elders who served as advisors to the government. In Athens, the council was known as the Areopagus, and it was made up of former archons (magistrates) who had completed their term in office. In Sparta, the council was known as the Gerousia, and it was made up of 28 elders who were elected for life (CRF, n.d.).
However, there were also significant differences between the two city-states’ governmental structures. Athens had a direct democracy, where citizens had the right to vote directly on laws and policies. In contrast, Sparta had a mixed system of monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy, where the kings and the council of elders held significant power. Additionally, while in Athens, any free-born male citizen over the age of 30 was eligible to hold public office, in Sparta, only a small group of elected officials called ephors and the two hereditary kings held positions of authority.
Conclusion
The government structures of Athens and Sparta were quite different. Athens favored a direct democracy, where citizens had the right to vote directly on laws and policies. In contrast, Sparta had a mixed system of monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy. Overall, these differences in government structures contributed to the unique cultures and values of the two city-states, and they continue to be studied and analyzed by scholars today.
References
CRF. (n.d.). Two Very Different City-States: Sparta and Athens. Retrieved from https://www.crf-usa.org/images/t2t/pdf/AthensvSparta.pdf
Britannica. (March 10, 2023). Council of Five Hundred. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Council-of-Five-Hundred-ancient-Greek-council
History. (August 19, 2019). Ancient Greek Democracy. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/ancient-greece-democracy
HistoryForce. (December 30, 2020). The importance of the Gerousia in Ancient Sparta. Retrieved from https://historyforce.com/the-importance-of-the-gerousia-in-ancient-sparta/