If Sparta could have changed anything, what do you think they would have changed? Become more educated and wise like a philosopher? Or, what would Athens have changed? Increased their military training? Polybuis, a Greek historian, once said, “Monarchy degenerates into tyranny, aristocracy into oligarchy, and democracy into savage violence and chaos.” When we look to city-states Athens and Sparta, their government and history of war, do we see where this quote offers truth? Let’s look at each trait separately to see the differences and commonalities Athens and Sparta share in their forms of government.
Monarchy
Although there was a time when there were over 1500 city-states, not all were under monarchy supremacy. Athens was under a democratic government and had no monarchy, whereas the Spartans had dual kingship, sharing hereditary lines that could be traced, which was close to a dual monarchy within one city-state. These two kings were chief priests and decided over judicial and military matters, but had no political power alone. …show more content…
It is said that, according to Greek mythology, the two kings were born as twins and when their father, Aristodemus, died the sons jointly ruled, one having no more power than the other. Others speculated that both Spartan warriors and Achaean predecessors fought over who would be the next king and it was decided, in order to resolve the dispute, to let two royal families have either own. However, no one can be certain which, if either, of these stories ring true since there is no recorded history of the circumstances. This was the closest to a monarchy between Athens and
Monarchy
Although there was a time when there were over 1500 city-states, not all were under monarchy supremacy. Athens was under a democratic government and had no monarchy, whereas the Spartans had dual kingship, sharing hereditary lines that could be traced, which was close to a dual monarchy within one city-state. These two kings were chief priests and decided over judicial and military matters, but had no political power alone. …show more content…
It is said that, according to Greek mythology, the two kings were born as twins and when their father, Aristodemus, died the sons jointly ruled, one having no more power than the other. Others speculated that both Spartan warriors and Achaean predecessors fought over who would be the next king and it was decided, in order to resolve the dispute, to let two royal families have either own. However, no one can be certain which, if either, of these stories ring true since there is no recorded history of the circumstances. This was the closest to a monarchy between Athens and