11 4 Notes Sparta and Athens Spartas Military

11 -4 Notes: Sparta and Athens

Sparta’s Military State • 715 BCE - Sparta conquered a neighboring area to gain land forced the defeated people to become slaves, called helots • Worked on farms, gave Spartans half their crops • Despite being outnumbered, the Spartans put down revolts • Fear of these revolts led Sparta to become a military state focused on making a strong army

Government and Society • Part monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy • Two kings rule Sparta • 5 elected supervisors run the government • Council of Elders, made up of 30 older citizens, proposed laws • All Spartan citizens were part of the Assembly, who elected officials and voted on laws proposed by the council • Society divided into 3 social groups: citizens, free noncitizens from nearby villages, and helots

Education and Women • • • Goal of Spartan society was to have a strong army At age 7, boys moved into military houses called barracks Education stressed discipline, toughness, military skill, duty, etc. All male citizens entered the army at age 20 and served until 60 Spartan women were expected to be tough, emotionally and physically Spartan girls had athletic training and learned to defend themselves Emphasis on military made family life less important Women had more freedom, were allowed to own property Wife was expected to watch over property while husband was away at war

Athens’ Democratic Way of Life • • • Athens had two governing bodies Council of 400 took care of day-today problems Assembly voted on policies proposed by the council Citizens had to serve in the army when needed and on juries, which could have hundreds of people In Athens citizens were equal in the courts No judges or lawyers, citizens defended themselves Foreigners, women, children, slaves are not citizens Slaves made up 1/3 of the population Some worked in homes, agriculture, mining, industry Some earned wages and bought their freedom

Education and Women • • Boys of wealthy families started school at age 6 or 7 Studied logic, public speaking, reading, writing, poetry, arithmetic, music, and athletics Athenian women were supposed to be good wives and mothers to keep families strong Some women had important priestess roles in temples Athenian society had much less freedom Women could only inherit property if their fathers had no sons Girls did not attend school They learned how to perform household duties

The Persian Wars • • • 500 s BCE - Persian conquered Anatolia, east of Greece 499 BCE - Some Greeks revolted Athens sent ships to help them, and Persia decided to punish Athens for interfering 490 BCE - Persians arrived on the plain of Marathon Athens sent a runner to ask Sparta for help but they came too late The Athenians, though badly outnumbered, won by luring the Persians in and then surrounding them, killing 6, 400 and only losing 192 480 BCE - Persia invaded Greece again 300 Spartans guarded the narrow pass at Thermopylae, giving the Athenians time to prepare for battle Athenians defeated the Persians in a naval battle with smaller, more mobile ships