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Sparta and Athens
4-2 Notes
I.
Tyranny in the City-States
1. Nobles, who owned large farms, seized power from the Greek Kings.
2. Farmers had to borrow money from nobles. This led to debt and slavery.
3. Unhappy farmers demanded changes. Rise of tyrants. Tyrants overthrew
nobles during 600s B.C.
4. Maintained popularity by building temples, marketplaces, and walls.
5. People got tired of tyrants by 500 B.C. Created oligarchies and democracies.
II.
Sparta
1. Sparta was founded by the Dorians, who invaded the Peloponnesus in the Dark
Ages.
2. Conquered and enslaved neighbors.
A. Why was the military so important?
1. Spartans needed to be strong to conquer their neighbors and to keep the
helots from rebelling.
2. At age 7 boys left to live in military barracks.
3. At age 20, men entered the military. They stayed until age 30 when
they could return home, but had to remain in the military until 60.
4. Girls were trained in sports. Spartan women were freer than other
Greek women.
B. What was Sparta’s government like?
1. Oligarchy – 2 kings, Council of 28 elders, assembly of all men over age
30. Most citizens had little say in the government.
2. Ephors – five people chosen annually to collect taxes and enforce laws.
3. Discouraged foreign travel and trade except for military reasons.
4. Kept control over helots for nearly 250 years. Fell behind in Science
and trade.
III.
Athens
1. Unlike Spartans, Athenians were more interested building a democracy than
building military force.
A. What was life in Athens like?
1. In Athenian schools, boys learned how to read, write, do Arithimetic
and sing and play the lyre. Also learned sports.
2. Created well-rounded citizens. Lived at home and finished school at
18, when they became citizens.
3. Athenians girls had no freedom. They stayed at home and were taught
spinning, weaving, and household chores.
B. A budding democracy
1. Oligarchy in the 600s B.C. ruled by land-owning nobles. Farms
wanted an end to debts.
2. 594 B.C., a noble named Solon canceled debts and freed the slaves. He
created an assembly of all male citizens. Was popular with the common
people.
3. Pesistratus – tyrant who seized power in 560 B.C. He divided large
estates and gave land and jobs to the poor. He also loaned them money.
4. 508 B.C. Cleisthenes reorganized the assembly to include all male
citizens and gave them more power.
5. Created a council of 500 citizens chosen annually by lottery to deal
with daily business.
6. Non-citizens were still excluded, but Cleisthenes is credited with
making the government a democracy.