Athens, one of the strongest city-states, was known as the first democracy, and was ruled by the people(Lecture 10: the beginnings of democracy). Sparta, another leading city-state, was an oligarchy ruled by two kings, who were supported by twenty-eight members of what was known as the Gerousia(Greece: Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC). Persia, however, was a monarchy, or a nation governed by one man. (Persian Culture(700-332 BC). Another stark difference between the two great nations of the sixth century was the way in which they conducted their military excursions.
Included in Ancient Greece is the period of Classical Greece, which flourished during the 5th to 4th centuries BC. When many poleis had emerged, different cultures and identities had taken form. Characteristics from different city-states shape the people and their morals. Also, the city-states’ environment had determined how and where each polis had dominated power. No individual source of power had ever dominated Greece and come to centralize it.
How did the Successor Kings attempt to legitimise their monarchies in the century following the death of Alexander the Great? After the unexpected and youthful death of King Alexander the Great in 323BC, the successor Kings that followed his reign only disjointed the once vast and resilient empire. The immediate successors after Alexander were called the Diadochi, and they were the first generation of military and political leaders after the death of the Macedonian king and conqueror, Alexander the Great in 323 (Botdford and Robinson). The six successors that are mentioned in this essay all took on the monarchy with different ideas, strategies, boundaries and goals. Legitimising their monarchies seemed extremely difficult after Alexander’s death, and after the standard he had set for the successors that followed his legacy.
Compare and Contrast Athens and Sparta Culturally and Politically Essay Matias Antezana P.2 1/14/13 The two rivals of ancient Greece that made the most historical information and gave us the most traditions were Athens and Sparta. They were close together on a map, yet far apart in what they valued and how they lived their lives. One of the main ways they were similar was in their form of government. Both Athens and Sparta had an Assembly, whose members were elected by the people. Sparta was ruled by two kings, who ruled until they died or were forced out of office.
Ruling over the kingdom was a pharaoh, who was not only a king but was also seen as a god. Provinces were ruled by monarchs better known as provincial governors. The Egyptians devised themselves into classes, upper class, middle class, and a lower class. The pharaoh and his family were at the top of the Egyptian class system. People could move from one class to another depending on their situations.
He was born in 356 BC and as we know the largest empire at that time was the Persian Empire (to the right). Macedon was a small kingdom on the edge of the Persian Empire. Alexander was just like his father, strong and ambitious. Philip spent most of his life conquering the cities of Greece, to his South. By the time Alexander was 18 years old fought with his father, controlling the left wing of the army during the battle at Chaeronea.
It shows the Spartans as chariot warriors, and infantry who fought for glory. Later the army was issued with aspis shields which made their new phalanx formation possible. In 550BC the entire state dedicated itself to aiding the Spartan warriors, and using helots to farm the land owned by spartiates, and perioeci as sailors, tradesmen and light infantry. By the end of the Corinthian War, however, the city of Thebes revolted and in a short campaign led by Epiminondas won the Theban War, extended Sparta to the assembly of Thebes. When the Theban-Athenian alliance was defeated by Macedon at the Battle of Chaeronea, Sparta was taken over.
After King Cyrus of Persia overthrew the Median rulers in 550 BCE, the Persians successfully extended their realm in conquering Lydia (546 BCE), eventually pushing their boarders further eastward by crossing to the boarders of Macedonia in 513 BCE (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2012). The defending Greek city-states were not united in their political systems,
it was the first city of the civilized world in size, elegance, riches, and luxuries. "[1] As it was founded by one of the greatest rulers to ever exist, it was only appropriate that Alexandria would be destined to become one of the greatest cities in history. Alexandria was an important city of the ancient world and the universal date of its foundation is believed to be April 7, 331BC. For more than two thousand years it was the largest city in Egypt, and it was the capital of the country for almost half of this time. The fact that it was chosen to become the new capital was a strong influence on the development of Alexandria.
World History Project Athens Paper Athens Athens was the largest city of it’s time in Greece, and controlled the region of Attica. The city of Athens lay between mountains, in a fertile valley where sources of silver and other minerals could be found. The combination of fertile soil, protection from the mountains, and rich sources of minerals allowed Athens to grow into the most culturally advanced city of its time. Athenians took on extensive building projects, and even had the first democracy. There is currently not a country in the world that was not influenced, at least in part by Athens.