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.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
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.
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
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.
To help you plan your year 4 history lesson on: Sparta's rivalry with Athens, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 4 history lesson on: Sparta's rivalry with Athens, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Ancient Greek civilisation: what do we know about ancient Greece? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
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Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson 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