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Sparta vs. Athens. Sparta vs. Athens. Same country, different worlds. A tale of two great cities at war!!! The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars. Athens. Named for the city's patron goddess, Athena, the ancient city developed mainly to the north of this hill, around the Agora, or marketplace
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Sparta vs. Athens Same country, different worlds. A tale of two great cities at war!!! The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars
Athens • Named for the city's patron goddess, Athena, the ancient city developed mainly to the north of this hill, around the Agora, or marketplace • In the eighth century BC, the nobles became very wealthy, particularly off of the cash crops of wine and olive oil, as their wealth increased, the nobles of the Areopagus slowly stripped the king of power until Athenian government imperceptibly became an oligarchy.
Sparta • It is said to have been founded by Lacedaemon, the son of Zeus and Taygete, who married Sparta, the daughter of Eurotas. • The Messenean War: the Messenians revolted in 640 BC. This was no ordinary revolt, for not only did the Messenians almost win, they almost destroyed Sparta itself. • Almost defeated and controlling the territory of a subject population that outnumbered their population ten to one, the Spartans turned their state into what amounts to a military state.
Athenian Life • It is the place that humanism and democracy were born. • It is the place where Socrates was born, Plato, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and many others.
Spartan Life • The Spartan government was founded on the principle that the life of every individual, from the moment of birth, belonged absolutely to the state. • The elders of the city-state inspected the newborn infants and ordered the weak and unhealthy ones to be carried to a nearby chasm and left to die; only those who were physically fit would survive. • The children who were allowed to live were brought up under a severe discipline. At the age of 7, boys were removed from their parents' control and organized into small bands. • The strongest and most courageous youths were made captains.
Persian War • 8th-century BC a peaceful Athens became the artistic centre of Greece. • Next came a period of social reform, followed by unrest and subsequent tyranny. • Athens didn't shake off oppression until 510 BC, when Sparta stepped in to help. Following the defeat of the Persian Empire, Athens' power grew enormously
Peloponnesian War • The Persian wars allowed Athens' golden age: monuments were built on the Acropolis, and drama and literature flourished. • Threatened by Athens great prosperity Sparta attacks! • The Peloponnesian Wars begin in 431BC.
The Peloponnesian War • After 27 years of fighting, Sparta gained the upper hand, and Athens slid from its former glory. • During this time Athens still produced Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
References • http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/athens/history.htm • http://www.athensguide.org/athens-history.html • http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/GREECE/SPARTA.HTM • http://www.sikyon.com/Sparta/sparta_eg.html • http://www.sikyon.com/Athens/athens_eg.html • http://www.greekshops.com/detail.html?CartID=661967240156&ProdID=Thehistorychannel