Sparta and Athens

1. Sparta and Athens

2. 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

3. 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

5. 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

6. 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

8. 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

10. 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

11. 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

13. Athens • Education was very important • boys had one teacher for reading, writing, and arithmetic • 2nd teacher for sports • 3rd 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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