Sparta and Athens Tyrants Rule Common people are

Sparta and Athens

Tyrants Rule • Common people are very unhappy in Greece • Farmers – Lost lands when they couldn’t pay off loans and interest to the nobles – Some had to sell themselves into slavery – All lost citizenship when they lost their land • Merchants and Artisans – Many wealthy from increased trade – Couldn’t participate in government didn’t own land

Tyrants • Supported for the following reasons – Merchants wanted to be in government, tyrants promised to include them – Hoplites- mostly small farmers with huge debts – Tyrants built new markets , temples and walls to protect the citizens • Ruled for a small time, promises don’t come true , people want more participation in government • City states become oligarchies or democracies

Who are the Spartans • Descendants of the Dorians who invaded the Peloponnesus • Militaristic society- proud to serve and die for their city-state. Very disciplined society. • Conquered all neighbors and enslaved them(helots) • Afraid Helots would rebel, so they firmly controlled the people of Sparta

Military service Boys taken away at age 7 Treated harshly to toughen them up Age 20 – men enter regular army for 10 years Age 30 – return home, but continue training and fighting until age 60 • All would die before they would surrender • •

Spartan Women • Trained in sports ; running, wrestling and throwing javelin • Kept fit to become healthy mothers • Wives were at home while men trained in military • Women of Sparta had much more freedom than other Greek women

Spartan Government • 2 kings who headed the Council of Elders • Council of elders- 28 citizens over the age of 60 – Presented laws to the assembly • Assembly – all men over the age of 30 – Voted on laws presented by the council – 5 Ephors were chosen from the assembly • Enforced laws • Managed tax collection

Spartan control • To keep anyone from questioning the Spartan way they: – Restricted foreign visitors – Banned outside travel, except for military reasons – Discouraged citizens from studying the arts or literature

Athens • Education was very important – boys had one teacher for reading, writing, and arithmetic – 2 nd teacher for sports – 3 rd teacher for singing and playing the lyre – This created well rounded Athenians with good minds and bodies – Girls- stayed at home and were taught by mothers to spin, weave and cook – Only wealthy learned to read, write and play lyre

Athenian Government Oligarchy to Democracy • 600 B. C. – Land owning nobles seized power from the kings – Nobles were the ruling class and formed an Assembly, but it had few powers – Athenians began to rebel – farmers owed money, some sold themselves into slavery – Demanded an end to debts and land for the poor – One trusted man- Solon comes to power

Solon’ s Rule • Cancelled all farmers debts • Freed those in slavery • Allowed all male citizens to participate in Assembly and law courts • Council of 400 wealthy citizens wrote laws, but Assembly must approve them • After his rule 30 years of turmoil

564 B. C. Peisistratus • Won support of poor and farmers • Divided large estates among landless farmers • Loaned money to poor people • Gave poor jobs building temples and public works

508 B. C. Cleisthenes • Reorganized the Assembly to play a governing role • All male citizens belonged to the Assembly • Assembly could debate, hear court cases and appoint army generals

Cleisthenes • Council of 500 citizens – Proposed laws – Dealt with foreign countries – Oversaw the Treasury – Council was chosen each year by a lottery • Women, foreign born men and slaves were still excluded from government