The culture of Athens differed from other Greek city-states by the way that Athenians valued knowledge and learning . Athens was also a democracy, unlike several other Greek city-states. Athens’s main focus was educating boys and young men and for them to take an active role in pubic affairs.
How is Athens government different from other Greek city-states?
Each city-state in ancient Greece had their own form of government. Most city-states were ruled by kings. Some were ruled by councils, a small group of people. But in Athens, for about 100 years, Athens was ruled by direct democracy !
What was the major difference between Athens and other major city-states of ancient Greece?
The main difference between Athens and Sparta is that Athens was a form of democracy , whereas Sparta was a form of oligarchy. Athens and Sparta are two prominent Greek rival city-states.
How was Athens unique?
Athens was the largest and most influential of the Greek city-states. It had many fine buildings and was named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare. The Athenians invented democracy , a new type of government where every citizen could vote on important issues, such as whether or not to declare war.
What made Athens a unique city-state?
In Athens every male citizen had the right to vote, so they were ruled by a democracy. Rather than have a strong army, Athens maintained their navy. Greek city-states likely developed because of the physical geography of the Mediterranean region . The landscape features rocky, mountainous land and many islands.
Was it better to be an Athenian or a Spartan?
Sparta is far superior to Athens because their army was fierce and protective, girls received some education and women had more freedom than in other poleis. ... The Spartans believed this made them strong and better mothers. Lastly, Sparta is the best polis of ancient Greece because women had freedom.
What are the 5 Greek city-states?
There grew to be over 1,000 city-states in ancient Greece, but the main poleis were Athína (Athens), Spárti (Sparta), Kórinthos (Corinth), Thíva (Thebes), Siracusa (Syracuse), Égina (Aegina), Ródos (Rhodes), Árgos, Erétria, and Elis . Each city-state ruled itself.
What are 5 facts about Athens?
- Athens is Europe’s oldest capital. ...
- Athens has experienced almost every form of government. ...
- If it weren’t for an olive tree, Poseidon might have been the city’s patron. ...
- The ancient Olympic games were never held in Athens. ...
- Athens is home to the first known democracy.
What’s Athens known for?
Athens, Modern Greek Athínai, Ancient Greek Athēnai, historic city and capital of Greece . Many of Classical civilization’s intellectual and artistic ideas originated there, and the city is generally considered to be the birthplace of Western civilization. The Acropolis and surrounding area, Athens.
Who ruled Athens?
Athens did not have a king, it was ruled by the people as a democracy . The people of Athens believed that no one group of people should make the laws and so citizens could choose the government officials, and vote for or against new laws. The people of Athens chose their ruler.
Why did Sparta Not Destroy Athens?
Like the Athenians before the war, the Spartans believed in rule by force rather than cooperation. ... Sparta, however, had another motive for sparing Athens: they feared that a destroyed Athens would add to the growth in influence of Thebes , just north of Athens.
Why was Athens not a full democracy?
Athens was not a full democracy because most people were not considered citizens and, therefore, could not vote .
Why did Sparta fight Athens?
The primary causes were that Sparta feared the growing power and influence of the Athenian Empire . The Peloponnesian war began after the Persian Wars ended in 449 BCE. ... This disagreement led to friction and eventually outright war. Additionally, Athens and its ambitions caused increasing instability in Greece.
Sparta was leader of an alliance of independent states that included most of the major land powers of the Peloponnese and central Greece, as well as the sea power Corinth. Thus, the Athenians had the stronger navy and the Spartans the stronger army.
Did Athens or Sparta win?
Athens was forced to surrender, and Sparta won the Peloponnesian War in 404 BC.
How were slaves treated in Athens?
Slaves in Athens often worked with free citizens , although they were not paid. They could also live outside their master’s home. ... It seems that most slaves in Athens worked in their master’s households and were treated fairly. Most female slaves in Athens did things like bake bread, cook, and weave.
