Classic Greece

Classic Greece

There were several forces that allowed for the different deolpment of the polis during Classic Greece. While each polis was different from each other, they were still apart of Greece. During the 5th century BC, Greece was dominated by two main powers: democratic Athens and the military oligarchy of Sparta

The polis of Sparta was founded by the Dorians who occupied by the Peloponneus. In the eighth century, the Spartans conquered nearby regions and forced many of the people to work as helots. The helots were rhe virtual slaves wo worked for the polis. They out number the Spartans and because of the fear of revolt, they set up a military government to keep order.The Spartan aim was to produce strong and fearless people. Every aspect of a Spartan's life was planned to meet this aim. The weak and unfit didn't belong in this society and they were quickly put to dealth.At age seven, a Spartan boy moved into the military barracks. They lived there for 23 years, toughening up, learning discipline, and training for war. They were also taught to be brave and endure pain in silence. Although Spartan women couldn't become citizens, they too were trained in gymnastics and physical endurance. Girls were educated in reading and writing and could participate in sports; they were treated more as equals to men. The goal was to produce women who would produce strong healthy babies. At age 18 she would be assigned a husband and return home. Citizen women were free to move around and enjoyed a great deal of freedom. Domestic arts were usually left to the other classes. Spartan women could own and control their own property. In times of war the wife was expected to oversee her husband's property and to guard it against invaders and revolts until her husband returned. These people were looked at as the strongest and most admired of all the Greek city-states, and with that they were also critizied. Northeast from them were another polis that lived in a completely different ideal.

Athens became the shining center of the Greek culture. The Atheians came to look apon themselves as teachers of all Greece. They were proud of their political freedom and their artist, paywrights, peots, and thinkers. Unlike the Spartans the Athenians believed that people