Compare life in Sparta to life in Athens. What factors made them distinct from each other?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. Students should be able to characterize Spartans as focusing more on militarism and creating a society more concerned with its own interests, rather than interacting with the other polis of Greece. The geographic differences made Sparta more isolated from trade, and Spartans were less inclined to participate in the shared economy of the other city-states, going so far as to base their currency on nonprecious metals such as iron rods. Being further inland meant that Sparta did not develop a navy, either for military or commercial purposes. Although it was fairly common for most men in Greece to maintain a segregated existence from women, in Sparta, women had much more control over their environment; they had legal rights, could defend the polis, and were actively encouraged to participate in household management. They married later in life, at approximately age eighteen rather than fourteen. Spartans spoke a Dorian Greek dialect, rather than the Ionian dialect of the Athenians, which was seen as more cultured and intellectual. Spartans tended to forego aesthetic concerns; they did not believe in writing poetry or engaging in the arts because that was time better spent in training. The Athenians, by contrast, were most notable for their artistic and cultural, rather than military, achievements. Both societies had slaves, although the Spartan reliance on helots for labor was significantly greater (almost twice) that of the Athenians' 40 percent slavery rate.