Download NO DEMOcRAcY IN SpARTA THE PERsIAN THREAT

Histor y Essay 3
Master
Academy
No democracy in Sparta
Why did Sparta
need a strong
military?
How were Sparta’s
achievements
different from
those in Athens?
While Athens slowly moved toward a democracy
and her Golden Era, Sparta moved in the opposite
direction. It might have been different for Sparta if
not for two facts: 1) it was settled by more warlike
inhabitants, and 2) they had enslaved the local
population of helots (HEL•uts), who outnumbered
them. The Spartans needed a strong military to maintain
their rule over the helots; so Sparta developed as a
military state. Spartan life essentially became a military
“boot camp” where the primary goal was to train boys
to be Greece’s great warriors. Young Spartans endured
amazing hardships from ages 7 to 21. The fruits of this
endeavor were mixed. Sparta developed men of deep
courage and bravery, but at a price. They created no
artistic, scientific, or democratic achievements to
parallel Athenian masterpieces. No great statues,
temples, philosophical theories, or epic poems came
from Sparta.
The Persian Threat
500 BCE to 480 BCE
What caused
the Greek citystates to unite
between 500 BCE
and 480 BCE?
114 Greeks - Teacher Guide
The independent development of city-states went on
in different directions, but Greeks did manage to unite
on occasion. One such time occurred from 500 BCE to
480 BCE. Herodotus (hi•ROD•uh•tus), considered the
first historian, described these occasions in his writings
about the Persian War. The Persians had been
expanding their empire during the latter half of the
fifth century. They controlled Asia Minor and the
Middle East including Mesopotamia and Egypt. By
490 BCE, an attack on Greece by the Persian Empire
was imminent. When the invasion did finally take
place, the Greeks were ready and met the huge Persian
force at Marathon, a plain in northeastern Greece. At
the Battle of Marathon, the Persians were repulsed in
an effort that was no doubt the finest military hour in
Greek history. A runner was sent to Athens 26 miles
away to announce the Greek victory. His run gave the
modern footrace its name.
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