Download Sparta

10/28/2010
1. Notebook Entry: Sparta
2. What similarities do Athens and Sparta
have in common?
3. Hand in Homework
EQ: How does Greece fit our model of
a Classical Civilization?
Empire, Golden Age, Culture, Architecture,
Political Control, Learning, Science and Technology
By the end of class are objectives are to:
- identify the different political systems that developed in
the Greek city-states
- explain the government of Sparta
Tonight’s Homework: R&O p. 120-125
If you cannot handle that – make notes.
Government:
Society:
• Several branches
–Assembly - all Spartan citizens, elected
officials and voted on major issues
–Council of Elders - made up of 30 older
citizens, proposed laws on which the
assembly voted
–Five elected officials - carried out the
laws, controlled education, and
prosecuted court cases
• Two kings ruled over the military
• Citizens
–Descended from original inhabitants of
region
–Ruling families who owned the land
• Noncitizens
–Free, worked in commerce and industry
• Helots
–Little better than slaves
–Worked in the fields or as servants
Daily Life:
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Service to Sparta above everything
600-371 B.C. - Sparta had the most powerful army in Greece
Did not value the arts
Valued duty, strength, and discipline over freedom,
individuality, beauty, and learning
• Men served in the army until age 60
– Boys moved into barracks at age 7, stayed until they were 30
– Spent their days marching, exercising, and fighting
– Slept without blankets on hard benches
– Daily diet: bowl of coarse black porridge
• Spartan girls
– Some military training
– Ran, wrestled, and played sports
– Considerable freedom – ran the family estates when their
husbands were on active military
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10/28/2010
"E tan, e epi tan"
Either this, or upon this
Come back with your shield or on it
Persian Wars:
• Persian armies a threat to Sparta and Athens
• Battle at Marathon (490 B.C.)
– Persian fleet (25,000 men) crossed Aegean Sea
– 10,000 Athenians
– Persians lost more than 6,000 men - Athenian
fewer than 200
• Athenians won but city was left defenseless
– Pheidippides raced 26 miles to Athens
– “Rejoice, we conquer”
– Collapsed and died – Army followed behind
– Persians retreated
• Ten years later Persians return to crush Athens
• Greeks badly divided
– Some agreed to fight against the Persians
– Some wanted to let Athens be destroyed
– Some fought with the Persians
• 7,000 Greeks (300 Spartans) held off advance
– Spartans fought on (all killed), allowing
others to retreat
– Evacuated the city to fight at sea – pushed
Persians back
• Greeks continue victories
– Form Delian League
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