Describe the roles and privileges of the Spartan kings. Studied all over the globe, the ancient Spartan society is well known for their rich culture as well as their governmental structure. At the very top of this unique structure were the two kings under this kingship neither king could take a course of action without the consent of the other therefore it was believed that there were two kings to prevent one from gaining too much power,. Both kings had a number of roles, these include; political duties, military duties, religious duties and judicial power, with these roles came many privileges. A Spartan king was expected to fulfil many roles and ensure that Spartan continual welfare and survival were under control.
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,
Was Alexander the Great really a genius, or was he just a lucky king? The answer seemed to be simple and straightforward; Alexander the Great was a successful achiever, winning lots of battles with just a small army and at a young age. However, Alexander was born to a king. The skills, armies and tactics that he used were all evoking from his father. If Alexander was that great, why would his empire collapsed after his death?
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.
He held public office from 461 BC to 429 BC. Pericles was a great general and orator. Some of his great achievements were building the Parthenon and the Acropolis, establishing colonies of citizens and using the Athenian navy to keep the Persians out of the Aegean Sea. “He is usually portrayed as a general with a helmet”1 Pericles’ first involvement in politics began in 461BC. His first involvement in politics started when he became involved with a politician Ephialtes.
Heracles Introduction Heracles might possibly be the most courageous, strongest and best-known one among all the Greek heroes. His renowned twelve labors established him as a benefactor of humanity. He was the son of Zeus and a mortal mother and, therefore, was both a god and hero. As a mortal son of Zeus, Heracles condemned to confront Hera’s continual wrath and had faced numerous conspiracies by Hera since birth and it, consequently, resulted in a tragic life of Heracles. On the other hand, he is honored by sacrifices and eliminating dangers from the world.
Andrew Neely IPHS: Odyssey of West Professor Hawthorne September 21, 2009 With reference to his speeches in Book IX, why do you think Achilles rejects the three envoys? Does his rejection suggest that Achilles has come to have doubts about the heroic life and ethos? Please support your answer with textual evidence. The most powerful warrior in Homer’s Iliad, Achilles has all the necessary arête (skills) that embodies the traditional Greek hero. In ancient Greece, skill in battle was valued over any other quality and it defined the Greek man.
The war that had the greatest impact on Greece since its beginning is the Peloponnesian War; lasting almost thirty years, the Peloponnesian War took a great toll on both the Athenian and the Spartan parties. Lucky for historians of the present-day, there was a historian who provided a very beneficial recollection of the war. Thucydides took a role as a general on the Athenian side and recorded many of the events of war for historians now to study (Kellogg 176). Of course, because Thucydides fought with his fellow Athens, there was an expected bias in his writings. Through a slight bias, he was still able to give an accurate telling of the war and earned himself the label of one of the best historians of all time.
The U.S. President has advisors, and other executive officials, but the primary power in the U.S. is the President. While in ancient Athens, the council was made of 500 men with equal power. Ancient Greek democracy has had a deep influence on the design of the United States. The various members of the founding generation of the United States saw ancient Greece as both inspirational and example. Understanding the influence of Greek democracy on the United States requires understanding the way democracy was understood by the
Being a hero comes great responsibility, which was what Draco, Solon, Hector and Pericles were able to take on. Draco and Solon were both tyrants who assisted in the evolution of democracy. A tyrant was a powerful individual who gained control of a city-states government by appealing to the poor for support. Draco was the first tyrant at around 700 BC who was very influential. Of the tyrants, he was the one who created constitution.