Johnlen U.

Tamag
BA POLIT SC 3
Two Great City States of Greece: The Land of the Free and the Land of the Discipline
The Athenians are the lovers of art and of beauty, freedom and equal opportunity. The
Spartans are the masters in art of military especially when talking about land forces and they are
known for being obedient. That already imposed that both forces are of opposites in many
aspects, their ideals, their views, their values, even the structure itself. Athens and Sparta in the
golden age of Greece became the greatest city-states for the former is the symbol of freedom, art,
and democracy, as well as the center of economic, political, financial and culture life, whereas
the latter is known for being the protector or the guardian of Greece (Athens vs. Sparta).
Other differences are mentioned by Pericles in his Funeral Oration, for instance in the art
of military security, the Athenians do not care if spies of other countries get military information
from them which is of course of great importance, but rather as stated, they rely on the their own
real courage and loyalty. Pericles defended that though the time they spent are not focused on
practicing in meeting sufferings just like the Spartans, still the same, when ill-fated situations
come, the Athenians show the same braveness, that it is proven that even without vigorous
training, they can still defend their state, attack other state the same. In educational system, the
Athenians do not lend their boy to rigid military training or physical training for theirs is a belief
that education must not focus on military but rather in producing people who thinks, people who
are endowed in arts, and people who can be rational in peace and or in war.
The form of government in Athens is called democracy, direct democracy in particular
while the Spartan form of government is oligarchic in nature, ruled by a few. In concern to
relating with other Greek states, the Athenians wanted to control more of the land around them as
for the Spartans, they were contented in providing military service to others when needed
(Athens vs. Sparta). Needless to say, Athens was prosperous and was in domination, and with
such control and power (especially naval force), such desire lead to war namely the
Peloponnesian war.
Pericles in his Funeral Oration stated that their direct democracy is called democracy
because the power lies not in the few but in each and every people of Athens. In solving
conflicts, private disputes in particular, everyone is the same in the eyes of the law; no one is
particularly favored due to class or richness. Also stated in describing their direct democracy is
that in giving someone public responsibility, it is the ability of the person which is considered.
Such system favors a person with particular set of skills and abilities for a particular position or
work than a person born from a prestigious family for a work that he is not capable. Thus, in this
line of thinking, a person even if born from a family of farmers, if his set of skills and abilities
are inclined in military or being a guardian, then that must be his work. If authority then is
existent, the people who were put to such positions must be honored and be obeyed by those who
put them. Another important element of their democracy is that in their private lives, the people
are free and tolerant, but in matters of public affairs, law is the law. In summary, Pericles defined
the Athenian democracy as the equality of justice and of opportunity. It is mentioned that the
Athenian system of government did not imitate the institutions of their neighboring towns but
rather, theirs was the one that can be called a model to others. Such pride is true for theirs is a
system in which people really participate in the so-called political world whereas other states do
not.

References
Athens vs. Sparta. (n.d.). Retrieved from Diffen.com:
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Athens_vs_Sparta
"Pericles' Funeral Oration - Thucydides' Version of Pericles Funeral Oration." Ancient / Classical
History - Ancient Greece & Rome & Classics Research Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug.
2015.