Athens Vs. Sparta on Education

The Athenians were better than the Spartans on so many different levels, education being one of them. The primary purpose if the Athenian education system was to produce thinkers, people who where well trained in art and science as well as military practices, people who were prepared for peace and war. On the other hand, Sparta educators were focused on one thing, creating soldiers, people who didn't think for themselves and did what they were told. Athenian boys were tutored at home until they were 7 where they were then sent to a private neighborhood school. Younger boys learned calisthenics and how to play ball games and older boys were taught running, boxing, and wrestling. They were all expected to read heavily and were also taught to play the lyre, sing, and arithmetic. Athenian girls were not officially schooled but were tutored at home. All Spartan boys left home at 7 and were sent to military school. From then until the age of 18 they were exposed to harsh training and discipline. They were allowed no shoes, few clothes and taught to take pride in enduring pain and hardship. At the age of 18 they went into the world and had to steal their