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ATHENS AND SPARTA
~ -- The earliest civilizations in the Mediterranean area were located in Egypt and in the region of
the Fertile Crescent. These civilizations lasted from about 3000 B.C. to about 1500 B.C. The
next thousand years saw the rise and fall of many civilizations. After about 100 B.C. the
great Persian civilization began to grow to power in the Mediterranean area.
Greece developed its famous civilization after 600 B.C. Because their country was so hilly,
the Greeks never united to form a single nation. Instead, they formed a number of olty-states.
The most important city-states were Athens and Sparta. Athens became the city of trade arid
learning. Her ships carried on trade with all the ports of the Mediterranean Sea. At home,
het' citizens built fine theaters and public buildings. They studied science, mathematics
and the methods of government.
An Athenian named Socrates was the first teacher to encourage his pupils to search for truth
and goodness. After his death, one of his pupils, Plato, founded a school of philosophy and
science in Athens. Plato was the first to write booksabout philosophy. One of Plato's
students, Aristotle, became known as the "father ot Greek science." A Greek mimed
Hippocrates studies the human body and methods of healing it. He was called the "father of
modern medicine. .. Another Greek, Euclid, studied numbers and measurements and became
known as the "father of geometry." The contributions of these and other Greek philosophers
and sCientists have been of great ,importance to the world.
The Athenians developed a system of government based on democracy. Originally, Athens
was not a democracy, but abuses by the aristocracy made reform necessary. As early as
621 Be Draco introduced the first written code of laws. Later, Solon (594 BC) added other
reforms; In 5Q9 BCClisthenes introduced such reforms that made him truly the "father of
Athenian democracy." He finally did away with privileges based on birth, and accepted that
all cltizens had fundamentally the same rights.
Democracy. which in Greek means rule of the people, was put into effect in Athens through
the Assembly. The Assembly was the central political power in Athens. Every male Athenian
had the right to speak to the Assembly and the right to vote in the Assembly. Because the
Assembly was so larqe; it was very dltticultto conduct any daily state business. The
Assembly was split into these divisions. The members of each group were chosen from the.
male citizens of Athens. The first group was the Council of 500. This group carried out laws
and decisions of the Assembly, controlled expenditures, and malntatned public buildings.
The second group was the Magistrates. They worked in small groups for specific tasks of _
administration (Le., dockyards, food supply or street repairs). The third group was The Juries.
This group formed the court system of Athens. They were chosen from citizens above 30
years of age. No citizen knew beforehand who would form a jury in his case.
Athens, however, was not a complete democracy. For example, Athens did riot give full rights
to women. Also Athenians kept slaves. In spite of these things, the Athenians had advanced
much farther toward democracy than their neighbors in the Mediterranean Area.
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Just as Athens was famous for its learning and democracy. the city-state of Sparta was
known for its warriors. The Spartans did not believe in democracy. Sparta was ruled by Generals.
Spartans ran their IivGS on a military basis. Boys were taught to be soldiers while In their
early teens. They remained soldiers until they were middle aged. Their food was grown by
serfs who worked in the fields. These serfs were little better than slaves.
The Spartan, were tough and strong and very brave fighters. But they did not have much
learning. Nor did they understand the value of democracy. In fact. the rulera of Sparta hated
and feared th Athenlana. They especially fared the Ideas of Athenl n CI mocracy.
To a great extent the spread of Greek Idea was the result of war. By 431 ee. the Greek ell}
states highly relented the power of Athens; war broke out and Athens was defeated. The
Greek cities continued fighting among themselves until their military strength was weak~ned.
King Philip, ruler of MacedonIa. took advantage of this weakness and conquered Greece.
Because Philip respected the Greek way of Iffe, he.asked Arlstotte to teach hIs son.
Alexander, about Greek art, science and literature. Alexander became a great king. He built
an empire that stretched across three contlnents. He became known as Alexander the Great.
Alexander recognized and admired Greek traditions and achievements. He carried Greek
achievements. He carried Greek civilization to all parts of hls empire.
Ol.YMPICS
Olympic Games were held every four years In Southern Greece near the temple of Olympia.
Winners from -all parts of Greece were matched against each other to see who would be
champion. The time when the games were held was a national holiday In honor of Zeus. the
King of the Gods.
No one could enter the contest who had committed a crime or broken any laws. If a war were
going on •. truce was declared and everyone went to the games. When the game~were over,
fighting started again.
'. The contestants would train for four years In their home towns. Nine months before the
games they would go to the Olympia to train in an open air gymnasium near the Olympic
field. The Olympic stadium held about 45,000 people. The games lasted five days and
began and ended with a parade. prayers and sacrifices to the gods. Anyone who cheated
would be put out of the games and never allowed to take part again.
Being. a good sport was important to the Greeks--a contestant did not brag if he won. make
excuses If he lost. and did not cry out that the decision was unfair.
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The winner was crowned with a wreath of laurel or olive leaves from the temple garden of
. . Zeus. Songs were written to him by poets. statues were made of him by sculptors and he
was honored In his home village with banquets and prizes.
In addition to athletics. there were contests between poets. musicians and ptay writers. The
winners of these contests did not receive a wreath. outwere carried on the shoulders of the
crowd.
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The first record of the Olympic Games was in the year 776 B.C. and was counted as the
Greek year 1 ~ Time was counted in four year segments called Olyrnplads. After a long
while the games were stopped and not held again until.1896 in Athens.
Modern Oly~pic Games are held in a different country every four years ..
ATHENS AND SPARTA
Part I: True or False
__ 1. Socrates encouraged the study of truth and goodness that underlined all knowledge.
__ 2. The Persians were the first to introduce philosophy.
__ 3. Socrates wrote many books about philosophy.
4. Plato was a student of Socrates and Aristotle was a student of Plato.
-__ 5. Every Athenian male had the right to speak at the Assembly.
__ 6. Sparta was a war-like city state.
__ 7. Athens was always a democratic society.
8. The Athenians had slaves.
-__ 9. Spartan leaders respected the Athenians.
__ 10. Sparta did not believe in democracy.
Part II: Matching - Place a CAPITAL letter in the blank.
11. Athens
__ 12. geometry
__ 13. Plato
__ 14. Hippocrates
__ 15. Aristotle
16. Socrates
-17. Euclid
-18. medicine
-__ 19. Sparta
20. Clisthenes
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A- war-like society
B- father of medicine
C- science of healing
D- father of Athenian democracy
E- father of science
F - first teacher and philosopher
G- first to write books about philosophy
H- study of numbers and measurements
1- father of geometry
J- city of Socrates
Part III: After each statement, fill in the division of Athenian government that would deal with
that specific task.
21.The Central Political Power of government. ___________________________________________ _
22.Controlled Expenditure and maintained Public Buildings. ________________________________ _
23.Dockyard maintenance. ___________________________________________________________ _
24.Formed the Court System. _________________________________________________________ _
25.Did not have the full rights of Athenian men. and _______________________________________ _
26.Control of street repairs. __________________________________________________________ _
27. Carried out the new laws.
-----------------------28. Chosen from citizens above 30 years of age. _______________________________________ _
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Part rv: PiJI in the Blank
29. Why did war start among the city-states of Greece?
30. Who was responsible for the spread of Greek idees to all porta of his Bmpire?
31. What opinion did Alexander have of Greek traditions and achievements?
32. Who took advantage of their weakness and conquered Greece?
33. Who taught his son Alexander?
Part V: 'The Olympics
34.The Olympic Games in ancient times were held in honor of __________________________ " the King of Gods.
35. What would happen if the Olympics took place during a war? .
36.What happened to a contestant who cheated during the games? _____________________________ _
37.How was a winner of a sport rewarded? ________________________________ _______________________________(~,
38.How was the winner of a non-sport rewarded? ___________________________ _
39.An Olympiad included
40.The first Olympic Games were held in
years.
B.C., year 1 on the Greek Calendar.
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