A society's values are often reflected in their education system. This can be seen in Sparta. Sparta is located on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece, it was founded in 900 BCE and participated in many wars. One war was called the Peloponnesian War it started in 431 and was Sparta against Athens. All of this shaped their way of education.
Because of this they created a military like society. Everything was controlled by their government. Sparta may have had weaknesses in their education but their were more positive than negative parts. The strengths of Spartan education did outweigh the weaknesses because they trained Spartan boys for war and battle, women were also trained, and Spartan babies, from birth, were expected to be healthy.
Moreover, it was because of environmental pressures that prompted the Spartans to create their austere militaristic society. Sparta was landlocked, and was very isolated in comparison with the rest of poleis. Furthermore according to Pomeroy Sparta had to “seek a novel solution to the need for land to feed a growing population, a solution that would determine the course of future Spartan development.” Unlike other Greek cities Sparta founded only one colony, and the Spartans chose a militaristic/ conservative remedy to solve their environmental pressures. Moreover, the Spartans developed an ascetic militaristic state to conquer the various regions around their polis as well as the rest of Laconia.
Did the Spartan educations outweigh the weaknesses? Yes because it created strong and obiedient soliders. The strengths of Spartan educationn did outweigh the weaknesses for two reasons one, they had stong soliders to protect their families and Sparta, and They had to stay fit and stong to help people. One reason the strengths of Spartan education did outweigh the weaknesses was, even though they didn't let women be any kind of soliders they still cared about thier health. Yes it may have only been for making stong offspings but at least they didn't let them sit there and ie.
In this essay, I would like to answer and discuss the following questions: How did the people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community? Who held public office? What rules governed the selection of public office holders? How were two city-states similar in their governmental structures and how did they differ with each other? For the Spartans the right to participate and made important decisions from the entire community were only exercised by the adult and legitimate male citizens of Sparta.
The two societies had stayed true enemies from the beginning to the end. Education was one of the many subjects that Athens and Sparta differed on. Athens was taught subjects that made them more knowledgeable. They were taught math, reading, writing, and more. The spartan's education consisted of only one topic which was training for war.
There were many cases of bribery in the government that wasn't taken seriously by the court. In Sparta power was given to citizens through the assembly which consisted of all male citizens in Sparta, but in theory anyone could participate. The government had an elaborate system of checks and balances to make sure that no branch had more power than another. Also contrary to popular belief the Spartans treated there slaves bette than the Athenians. The slaves in Sparta were actually known as helots who were lower class citizens.
Aside from this, that is about the only thing Sparta had going for them. Meanwhile, Athens was busy focusing on creating democracy and making famous literary works, like it was no big deal. Sparta, not so much, they just wanted strong jocks. After a reviewing a few elements of Athenian culture, it is clear to see Athens was clearly better than Sparta.
The significance of Athenian men receiving army training as well as an education allowed for not only the bettering of their military, (which due to their location by the Aegean Sea had one of the strongest Navies in Ancient Greece) it also let them have knowledge in the arts and philosophy, this makes me want to live in Athens because I would know that i would be protected and the economy of my city state would be stable. Although Sparta may have some advantages over Athens, Athens was better prepared and knowledgeable over Sparta. In light of the evidence provided, Athens truly was the most impactful
In Ancient Greece, Sparta, had laws that when you were born you were to be examined for any defects. If you had any you were to be thrown down in a valley to die, and if you were the first born male of your family you were put in a military camp to be trained for further uses. This took away their human rights on living free if you are a man, and if you are a woman you were to stay in the town and be a “house-wife.” The Spartan government wanted to make the city a stronger unit by taking away job choices. The Spartan government was a great government because, they trained young boys to be warriors, their population couldn’t have any flaws, and the people didn’t have a choice in job.
Athens and Sparta, located between the Aegean and the Ionian Sea, allied with each other in the Greco-Persian war. Due to the advanced and powerful navy of Athens incorporation with the well-built army of Sparta, they gained victory over the Persian Empire. After the victory, Athens gained wealth and dominance over the other Greek societies causing tensions between Sparta. They both share similarities towards their cultural background but had different views in creating an ideal society in addition to their state’s place in the world. Moreover, they differ from the concepts of a well trained or educated society and a well built military, but share similarities in their government format.
The education of Sparta varied in strengths and in weaknesses. The Sparta’s were first located in southern Greece called the Peloponnese. In this colony, the Sparta’s only vision was bloodthirsty war and violence. At the age of seven, a young boy is removed from his family and is expected, from his 8th to his 21st year, become educated to a brutal military-like discipline. Therefore, regarding the education in Sparta, the weaknesses outweighed the strength because the Spartan’s didn’t value family morals, the basics of reading and writing were taught, and the upbringing of Spartan boys was cruel and painful.
The Athenian and the Spartan civilizations were very unique and different but the people shared many similar ideas. The Athenians believed that their government was original and that everyone should participate directly in government. On the other hand, the Spartans believed that every man should train for the military. Both the Spartans and Athenians believed in an equal society where the members were devoted to the polis. During this time, Athens supported a democracy.
Athens and Sparta have proven to provide strong governmental structure to help lead to each city-state’s success. Athens
Sparta used more complicated government. Or at least so we can say. As Athens used only democracy, Sparta used system that was combined from three different types, monarchy, oligarchy and democracy. You can see monarchy as they had two kings from the two most prominent families. From these two king other one was chosen to be the commander in chief of the army and it was chosen by people.
