A Spartan king was expected to fulfil many roles and ensure that Spartan continual welfare and survival were under control. Both of the kings were members of the gerousia, a chief priest, and commander –in-chief of the army and judge and lawgiver. One of the major roles the kings were apart of was the political duties, as citizens of Sparta kings were eligible to participate in the political issues of Sparta. Since they were members of the gerousia they were allowed to take part in debates this means that they could initiate both laws and policies in Sparta, but with this came the restriction of not having more power than the 28 member of the assembly itself. According to the ancient historian Herodotus , the kings had political privileges as he says , ‘’they shall sit with the twenty-eight gerontes in the council, but if they do not attend,
The city of Sparta was empowered by two kings and was run through a hereditary monarchy during the early 9th Century BC and onwards. The dynasty was continued by a Spartan Kings eldest son. However, even though the kings reigned in superiority, they themselves had limitations and privileges. Despite this, a Spartan King had several important roles which made them an essential part of the Spartan society. These included religious, military and judicial roles.
Athens was in crisis. In order to resolve these problems they announced a new leader, Solon of Athens. He was a great Athenian statesman, lawyer and poet. Throughout his reign, he succeeded in political and economical reforms. Compared to other powerful leaders, Lycurgus of Sparta and Pericles of Athens, Solon was the mediator for Athens.
All free Athenian born males were citizens. The aristocrats were at the top. They owned large estates and were involved in the government. The farmers were in the middle. The low class was the craftsmen, known as the thetes.
How did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community? The people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community through being a free adult from Athenian and Spartan parents (which are very few), native-born and the amount of wealth one has. Who held public office? Public offices were held by wealthier citizens, the Areopagus, the assembly, the council, the strategoi or military commander and the archons (city magistrates). Many male citizens held public offices irrespective of class and in different areas or offices as mentioned above.
Also, the domestic king served as backup in case something happened to the king of the military. Although they ruled the same polis, it was not uncommon for the kings to fight amongst themselves. 3. 28 elder senators and five guarders of the constitution served the senate of Sparta. Often called the “source of security”, the main purpose of Sparta’s senate was to prevent tyranny, this creation of Lycurgus was also held the power equal to two royal houses of Sparta (13-14) 4.
In Athens if you were actively involved in politics you were high in class. Another similarity between these classical civilizations was that women did not have as great of rights as men (documents 2 and 3). Men were thought to be the workers that do the jobs and participate in politics. Women were expected to stay at home and raise a family. On document 3 it says that “women make up 50% of ever category except for bureaucrats and appointed officials, who were male only.
In “the oration of Pericles” (D)” Our form of government is called democracy because it administration is in the hands of the peoples” democracy government of Athens was the first democracy, but it was barley a democracy since only the male citizens controlled the government. In “Government in Athens” (E) it discusses the Athenian Golden Age was inspired by the development of democracy by the Athenians. “In the most precise and literal sense Athenians governed themselves” In Athens the population was general. For instance, the population was divided into four sections: Free male citizens consist of 50,000, free male non-citizens consist of 50,000, free females consist of 100,000, and slaves which consist of 115,000. Overall the total population of Attica was 315,000 people.
To answer this question, one must look closely at the people that made up the mighty power that was Athens. How does the individual relate to the citizen in the context of democracy? Democracy was the political system of Athens where everyone was equal under the law (excluding slaves). According to the law, every adult free male had the right to vote and to hold office. Aristotle records the origins of this equality.
Athens decided to worry more about culture. The Spartans Goverment had A War Like Attitude and best met the needs of ancient Greece. The Athen democratic government, gave the citizens in Greece more freedom. Only Some of the total population of Athens actually had voting rights and all of these citizens were upper class men who were over thirty years old. Women were given