Sparta's rivalry with Athens
I can compare Sparta to Athens and tell the story of their rivalry.
Sparta's rivalry with Athens
I can compare Sparta to Athens and tell the story of their rivalry.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Sparta was very different to Athens. Sparta conquered nearby Messenia to gain farmland.
- Sparta’s government was a council of 30 men: 28 elders who limited the power of two kings, who led the army.
- Between 431-404 BCE Sparta fought the Peloponnesian War against Athens to win power over Greece, with Sparta winning.
- Women and enslaved people did all the rest of the work; women could own land but could not vote.
- Spartan culture was militaristic; boys left home at an early age to train for the army which they only left aged 60.
Common misconception
That all city-states in Ancient Greece had the same structure, and the people in each state had the same roles and values. That the city-states were peaceful and lived happily alongside each other.
Although there were some similarities across Ancient Greece, each individual city-state had differences. Societies in Athens and Sparta were very different. Sometimes, the city-states fought each other for the right to rule over all of the lands.
Keywords
Sparta - Sparta was a militaristic city in the southern part of Ancient Greece
Militaristic - a culture or society is described as militaristic when war and fighting are important to it
Council - a council is a group of people who gather to make decisions and discuss important things
Peloponnesian War - the Peloponnesian War was a war fought between Athens and Sparta over who would dominate Ancient Greece
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
someone owned by someone else who forces them to work with no pay
a group of 500 men that looked after the city business in Athens
people who have the job to defend a country on land usually in war
someone who makes a living growing crops or rearing animals
men
men
men and women
men and women
women
enslaved people
Exit quiz
6 Questions
Sparta
Sparta
Sparta
Athens
Athens
Sparta and Athens