Athens and Sparta, two of the largest city-states from Ancient Greece, carry a wide range of traditions and preferences as to how to run a government. Some of these rules have been long forgotten, some carry on today in certain countries around the world, and some are simply admired despite the negativity that they may carry. Athens and Sparta are known for their greatness, their unique qualities, and for their advancements. Some of their laws or ideals are common with each other, and some are vastly different. The overall set up of the two city-states was quite diverse. Athens was a progressive area that is still known today for its contributions to the arts and architecture. It is also most known for its introduction of the original democracy
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For example, High officials in Sparta (the Gerousia), must be 60 years of age to be considered for election while in Athens, they only needed to be 30. A major difference between the two is that in Athens, their were jurors and councilmen, both which were picked by lot. Leaving such things to chance and to such a large population would never happen in Sparta. Another big difference is that Sparta had kings, and unlike most nations, they had two in power at one time. Even more unusual was to have officials considered more important than the kings. Another way the two differed is that in Sparta, the assembly had very little power because the things they voted over were first decided by the Gerousia. Athens did not have as much regulation; in fact many including Plato believed it was the lack thereof that caused the demise of the direct democracy in the end. Both governments were susceptible to the higher class or aristocrats manipulating the system, (though the Athenians did their best to fight against that in the later years, the aristocrats still had preference in the highest levels of governments). Also in common is that the assembly of voters only consisted of free men of city-state orgin. This is generally frowned upon in most progressive governments of today because such people are a minority as they were during that time, and people such a women and legal foreigners are now considered important in such
For example, High officials in Sparta (the Gerousia), must be 60 years of age to be considered for election while in Athens, they only needed to be 30. A major difference between the two is that in Athens, their were jurors and councilmen, both which were picked by lot. Leaving such things to chance and to such a large population would never happen in Sparta. Another big difference is that Sparta had kings, and unlike most nations, they had two in power at one time. Even more unusual was to have officials considered more important than the kings. Another way the two differed is that in Sparta, the assembly had very little power because the things they voted over were first decided by the Gerousia. Athens did not have as much regulation; in fact many including Plato believed it was the lack thereof that caused the demise of the direct democracy in the end. Both governments were susceptible to the higher class or aristocrats manipulating the system, (though the Athenians did their best to fight against that in the later years, the aristocrats still had preference in the highest levels of governments). Also in common is that the assembly of voters only consisted of free men of city-state orgin. This is generally frowned upon in most progressive governments of today because such people are a minority as they were during that time, and people such a women and legal foreigners are now considered important in such