Athens vs Sparta

Did you know that Ancient Athens is a better place to live than Ancient Sparta? It has better jobs, education, lifestyles, entertainment, rights, gods/religion, society, and fewer slaves.

Jobs:

Men in Athens get their father’s job. And although the Athenians don’t get to choose which job they get, you will most likely have a safer job than in Sparta, because one of the main jobs in Sparta for men is being a soldier. Being a soldier is dangerous because it is the cause for many deaths. Would you rather have a job and take on the responsibilities of your father or go to war?

Slaves:

As you can probably see, both Athens and Sparta have slaves. Athens has a 1:3 ratio of citizens to slaves, but Sparta has a 1:7 ratio of citizens to slaves. Athens is better because you have a less chance of being a slave.

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Education:

Did you know that the boys in Athens get about 14 years of education at school plus four more if they are a wealthy family? The Athenians learn about many different topics, but the Spartans learn about war. Boys in Athens leave for fighting school while they are still children. This is dangerous because they die at war so often. Would you want to be a parent to a child who was sent away to war and you never got to see your son again?

Entertainment:

The Athenians value the art, education, theater, and much more. The Spartans on the other hand, don’t have much entertainment. Their only entertainment is practicing and learning to fight. Do you think that you would get bored of doing the same thing over and over until you master it? Wouldn’t you rather be making art, doing theater, or learning something new?

Girls:

As women in either Athens or Sparta, your job is to tend to the house, family, and cook. If you live in Sparta, you are allowed to own property since men so often die at war. This is so land isn’t lost from a family just because the last man in the family line has died. In Spartan, this could leave you, as the mom having to look after the family without a husband to help.

Boys:

The boys in Athens get to go to school, get jobs to care for their family, and they even get to own their own land. Meanwhile, the boys in Sparta have to go to military school from a young age. Since your son will be away at military school if you live in Sparta, he will miss out on all the entertainment and education that the boys in Athens get.

Fighting:

If you live in Athens, you won’t have to go and attack nearby villages, like Sparta does. At the age of 20 the men in Sparta become full-time soldiers, until they retire at 60. Since the Spartans go away to war so often, the average lifespan is a lot shorter than the Athenian’s lifespan. If you live in Athens, you will live much longer than you will if you live in Sparta!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14576154559/

Rights:

In Athens, you, as the man, get to own land. Your son will get to go to school to learn, and will carry on your job when he is older. If you live in Sparta then your wife will be able to own land, because the men often die at war. If you live in Athens, your wife won’t be able to own land, however you will have a bigger chance of being alive. In Sparta, your son will have to leave for military school at the age of 7 and won’t be able to return until the age of 30. Would you want to have to send your son away at such a young age?

Gods/Religion:

Both cities worship Zeus and the other Olympians, but if you choose Athens then you will worship Athena more and if you choose Sparta then you will worship Ares more. Athena is the Goddess of wisdom, so she can help you to know things. If you go to Athens, you will get to see a beautiful statue built of Athena that is 40 ft (12 meters) tall. Ares is the God of War and war means a shorter lifespan.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_
_Pergamon_Museum_Berlin_(8404177763).jpg

Society:

Athens and Sparta are both located in Greece. If you move to Athens, you will be able to get in and out of the city easily because it is an open society which means that people can come and go as they please. Sparta on the other hand, is a closed society, so you won’t be able to come in or out when you want.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/The_story_of_the_ancient_nations_-_a_text-book_for_high_schools_%281912%29_%2814769043412%29.jpg

Athens has better jobs, education, entertainment, lifestyles, rights, gods/religion, society, and fewer slaves. Athens is the better place for your family to live. Which place will you choose?