Essay On Athens Vs Sparta

The question of Athens v.s. Sparta has been debated for many years but the clear answer is and always will be Athens. Their advancements in art, science and government make them a far better polis than Sparta. Without Athens we would not be where we are today. Athens left an everlasting effect on the world, while Sparta did not. This essay will prove that Athens is the better polis. Athens and Sparta were very similar in many ways but they had one major difference that divided them in history, government. Spartans focused mainly on developing their military while Athenians focused on developing a better form of government. Sparta was ruled by two kings who believed that military was the most important factor in life. They did not understand that they didn’t need to use force to expand their nation. Sparta prepared only for war and never for peace. This narrow minded form of thought limited them from ever developing a better government. Athens was able to focus on peace and form a better way of life for their people. These people ruled the land in a form of government known as a democracy. Their democracy allowed all male citizens to vote and take part in government. Forms of the original Athenian democracy is still used today in 123 of the 192 countries in the world. Athens not only focused on strong government …show more content…
The Spartan military may have been strong but the Athenian navy was just as good, if not better. Athenians had control of the sea and were able to develop the strongest battleships of their time. One of the most known battleships is the wooden Triremes because of it’s immense strength and durability. The Triremes countered Persian attacks in the Peloponnesian War and defeated far more powerful attacks in the Bay of Salamis. This disproves the argument that the Persian military overpowers that of the