Essay About Athens, Greece

Essay about Athens, Greece
Athens, Greece
Athens was the intellectual center of Greece. It was one of the first city–states of its time, and is still
known as one of the most famous cities in the world. It was named after Athena, the goddess of
wisdom and the city's patron. In 508 B.C., Athens became one of the first societies in ancient times
to invent democracy. Democracy came from the Greek words, demos, meaning people, and kratein,
meaning to rule. This form of government was usually held in a meeting place, which the Athenians
called the Assembly. Here the citizens of Athens met monthly and discussed the affairs of state.
There were no decisions made by government without first asking the Assembly.
The ancient Athenians were a unique people. They ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The exporting area of Athens economy reached then Sicily, Egypt, and the Black Sea. New
monuments were built and the city experienced its first jump in culture and arts. Athens was also the
prime fighter during the war with Persia. This war aided by the existence of democratic governing
helped Athens become Greece's leading city and the center of an allied state.
The territory was not powerful enough to keep the Macedonian King Fillipe II (338 B.C.) from
taking Attica and adding it to the Macedonian states. In 146 B.C. Athens was controlled, together
with the rest of Greece, by the Romans, who although they were conquerors, they showed respect
for the city and it's personality. After the first years A.C., Gothic tribes destructed Athens. The
integration with the Byzantine Empire was finalized with the shut down of Philosophic Schools, the
changing of shrines to Christian temples and the general city of Athens. After year 1214, when the
Franks occupied Constantinople, Athens was given to French dukes. Their successors were Catalans,
Napolitans and finally in 1456 the Turks who were the first after all these years to turn the Acropolis
into a Muslim Temple "Tzami", and the Erehthion to a harem.
Until 1834, one year after its revolution from the Turks, when Athens was proclaimed capital of
Greece, it was a miserable village with very few people and piles of ancient ruins and stones.
Though it was accepted as a place with a
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Athens And Spart Sparta
Athens and Sparta are two rivals of ancient Greece. Athenians and Spartans lived their lives
different, and they valued different things. Athenians and Spartans had an Assembly, whose
members were elected by the people. Sparta were ruled by two kings, those two kings either ruled
until they were died or forced out of office. Athens were ruled by archons, they were elected
annually. Athens in the birthplace of democracy. Spartans focused on war and obedience. Young
boys were trained to be warriors. Young women were trained to be mothers and warriors. Athenians
could get good education and could pursue several kinds of arts or sciences. For many years Spartan
armies provided much defense of the Greek lands. The Spartans bravery and courage at the "Battle
of Thermopylae" during the Persians Wars, inspired all of Greece to fight back with all their might
against the invading Persians. Athenians and Spartans fought side by side in the "Battle of Platea",
which ended the Persians invasions of Greece. Spartans provided assistance for Greece when
necessary. Athenians wanted to control land around them. That led to war between all the Greeks,
this was the "Peloponnesian War". After many years of fighting the Spartans won. In Greek spirit
Sparta refused to burn the city of Athens. The culture and spirit of Athens was allowed to live on, as
long as Athenians no longer desired to rule Greek. Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece.
Sparta is known as Sparti in Greek. Sparta is

Facts About Athens
Brief historical background of Athens city Metrics of status
The first settlement of Athens was about 3000 BC, and it was located on the rock of Acropolis.
According to the tradition, Athens was founded, by King Theseus united in several state settlements
of Attica. According to the Greek Mythology, Athens is named after the goddess of wisdom, after
she defeated Poseidon in a competition for patronage in the city. Poseidon gave the city a spring of
water and Athena presented and olive tree. The citizens accepted the olive tree as a symbol of peace
and prosperity. Athena became the patroness of the city, and several temples were built in her honor.
Facts
1. In the height of the fifth–century B.C. Athens controlled hundreds of ... Show more content on
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The city of Athens is surrounded by four large mountain range. Their names are Mount Anita,
Mount Penteli, Mount Aegalio, and Mount Hymettus. Athens is also the driest region of Greece, and
they only have an annual rainfall of about sixteen inches. Athens is north of the Piraeus, a port city,
where the Athenians enjoy the advantages of a sea town with the security of being on the slope of
Mount Lycabettus. Athens is also located where they are ready to defend the passage from the
region of Attica to the Peloponnese, a large southern peninsula home to the Spartans. Make–up of
the City population
There were no proper population censuses in ancient Athens, but the most educated modern guess
puts the total population of fifth–century Athens, including its home territory of Attica, at around
250,000 – men, women and children, free and unfree, enfranchised and disenfranchised. Of those
250,000, some 30,000 on average were fully paid–up citizens – the adult males of Athenian birth
and full status.
This is based on 'The Population of Ancient Athens – A.W.Gomme – 1933 for the year 431 B.C.
when Athens was at the highest population level in her history.
Calculated population of Athens ca.431 B.C.
Class subtotal

Athens Greek History
The History of Athens, Greece Athens' history dates back longer than any other European city.
Located in Greece, Athens has been able to convert to the modern ways of the world while
maintaining its ancient atmosphere. Athens is assumed to have begun as a small Neolithic hill–fort
on top of Acropolis sometime in the third millennium BC, and the city today has come a long way
by building a very successful society with over five million residents. In the beginning, the
geographic location and climate played a role in why people chose to live here, but today people
travel from all over the world to witness the rich history of the city for themselves. Over time,
Athens contributed in huge ways to the world's heritage, and it became the leading ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Athens attacked Sicily, but with the help of the Spartans, the Sicily city of Syracuse broke the
blockade the Athenians had set up. The Spartans defeated the Athenian army and then destroyed
them once they tried to retreat. Athens was now stuck in a political turmoil, and their democracy
was overthrown by the oligarchical party. Due to several military victories, the Athenian navy found
confidence in themselves and decided to begin working on restoring the democracy. Sparta offered
to come to a peace agreement with Athens, but Athenian democratic leaders declined which lead to
the war at sea to continue. In 404 BC the war finally ended with the Athenians surrendering and
Sparta stripping them of their empire. Fortunately, Sparta did not destroy the city itself. Athens
capitulated and their defeat resulted as the worst war so far in history, hurting Greece's military
strength. Thucydides who was an Athenian general during the war stated that the cause behind the
war was human greed and desire for power, and he viewed the war as a complete disaster. Many
people probably wonder how it was possible for Athens to still be a powerful city after all the
devastation the city went through. Fortunately, all the events leading up to the loss to Sparta helped
keep Athens history alive and the achievements of Athens in philosophy, drama, and art continued
even after the city's success faded. After a long

How Is Athens Citizenship
Athens Citizenship In the beginning of the sixth century BCE the idea of people participating in a
role of society started to develop and later evolved into the status of people given by their
government; citizenship. With citizenship came the theory of social contract, which stated that if a
citizen does their part for their nation their nation shall do theirs. As the theory evolved the Roman
republic focused more on how their people interacted with the other citizens and participated in their
government rather than the citizen's responsibility which was the main emphasis in the city–state of
Athens. Athens had stricter guidelines to become a citizen, but allowed more freedom when they
have received the title of being a citizen, unlike the Romans, which constricted their citizens based
on their initial background and/or gender (Citizenship in Athens and Rome Background Essay). The
Athenian city–state had an overall superior citizenship organization than the Romans because there
citizens had the ability to have an input, no matter their assets, various were accepted as ... Show
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Citizens have a say in society changing events
a) In the Athenian society all citizens were able to voice their own opinions and agree on the actions
being done in a democratic way to benefit society.
b) In document D it states that each citizen writes down a name of a person who they think is
becoming too powerful for their status in society and in the end the person with their name written
down the most is to be ostracized. This demonstrates the act of being any citizen able to impact
society by voicing their own opinion in a fair way.
c) Also in document E it shows that all citizens of Athens were able to attend the meetings of the
Assembly, which discussed the matters of their society in a political manner this clearly shows that
the citizens that attended these meetings at the Pnyx were able to interact with the laws and
regulations of their own society.
2. Citizenship

Athens : A Of Great Wealth And Prosperity
Athens was one of the greatest cities that existed in ancient Greece. Ranging from a superb navy, to
an outstanding belief in knowledge, they were set to succeed from the beginning. Athens was a land
of great wealth and prosperity. This led to some of the world's greatest pieces of art including the
Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus. There may have been other cities with good militaries or strong
trading partners, but there was never a city that could compete with the great city of Athens. Athens
dominated the Ancient world due to their navy, intelligence, democracy, and trade.
Athens had a fantastic navy. They were feared throughout the ancient Mediterranean lands because
of their fierce navy. With the amount of trading that they did, they needed to have a strong navy so
that they would be able to transport goods safely across water. A strong navy was also needed
because, to explore and conquer new lands, you needed to be able to travel and traveling by sea was
the most efficient form of travel. Being great sea faring people allowed them to open up trade with
many different cities and cultures. This allowed them to obtain goods that could not be grown or
bought back in Athens.
Athens' navy was most likely the reason they became such a great city. It allowed them to defend
their land since they lived on water. It also opened up countless trading options. Having access to
new goods was crucial, and it allowed Athens to develop faster and therefore

The Construction Of The Parthenon In Athens, Greece
The Parthenon is located in Athens,Greece. It was constructed approximately in 447 BC and
completed around 432 BC as a temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena., which the original one was
destroyed in Persian Invasion of 480 BC. The Parthenon was used primarily as a treasury. In the
sixth century AD, it was converted into a Christian church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. During the
Ottoman conquest it became a Mosque which was around 1460's. The Parthenon was partially
destroyed in 1687.
The architects were Iktinos and Kallikrates with a mention of Vitruv and dedicated to the Goddess
Athena Pallas or Parthenos (virgin). It's main function was to house the statues of Athena which
were made of gold and ivory by Phedias. The inner chamber was unusually large so it could house
the oversized statue of Athena. The greater width and length of the Parthenon features double
decked columns instead of walls. The back room sheltered Athena's treasure. ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
the temples of Greece were designed to be seen from the outside. When one moves toward the east
and then looking at the exterior of the temple visitors would be mesmerized by the beauty of the
Parthenon. It was a scene that Athenians could relate to, thus making the transition between the earth
and the divine one. It is certain that the master architech's came up with the design of the Parthenon
to be thought of as a theatrical event. They wanted man to be in awe. Reading about all the purposes
of each decision that was made in the building made realize the creativity of the Greek
culture.Knowing that every column was placed with purpose to draw your eye in a certain line, the
direction it set was intentional so as to allow the sun to shine through the temple to make one
believe they were beholding the awesome power of their

Sacrifices In Athens
Somewhere around the 5th century before Christ the city of Athens was stricken with a mysterious
plague, all efforts failed to stop the plague, the leaders of Athens thinking that some god had been
offended so they sought for a way to appease the offended god, however this was not a easy task as
Athens was know as the "god capital of the world". Having made two visits to that city I can attest
to the fact that it lives up to its name. Sacrifices was made in all sorts of ways, yet the plague never
ceased to destroy its people. The city fathers decided to call on a seer and philosopher–poet named
Epimenides. Epimenides came from the Island of Cyprus after evaluating the problem, he came to
the conclusion that none of the know gods were

The Athens: The Golden Age Of The Athens
The video was about the golden age of the Athens. The video start on the year 490 B.C and talks
about the people in a small state name Athens establishing democracy for the first time. Athens
being a democratic Free State was gaining power, the king of the Prussian empire wasn't pleased
with this news. The Prussian invaded the Athens to start the being of a war that would last many
years to come. Knowinf that the Prussians where coming Pheidippides ran 140 miles in 2 days to
seek help from Sparta but they turn him away. The Athenian slaughtered over 6,000 Prussians in one
day in the battle of Marathon Mountain. The small Athens after winning the battle from a great
empire of the Prussians now elected a new leader on of the generals Cleisthenes.

Athens : The City Of Athens, The City, And Its Causes
The city of Athens is the capital city of Greece and is also Greece's largest city. The city is full of
rich history dating back to 3000 B.C and still stands to this very day. Athens is full of amazing
archeological landmarks, beautiful views of the mountains and oceans. Many people visit Athens or
Greece in general for the history that it holds. Athens, with many of the historical sites still standing,
shows the ability of the ancient athenian people to make long lasting builds to stand against time
itself.
Athens the capital city of Greece sites in the attic peninsula between mountains and the sea. The
summers in Athens are very hot and humid with temperatures reaching 91 degrees fahrenheit and
the winters dropping to 55 degrees fahrenheit. "The temperature rarely fall below freezing". Athens
receives the majority of its rainfall between the months of October and May. This allows for year
round outdoor actives. In Athens pollution can be a problem due to the temperature inversion this is
when warm air sits on top of cold air hold the pollution at the ground level(Eastman).
The city of Athens has a population of 750,000 but the greater metropolitan area has population of
about 3.7 million people. Most of the people of Athens are of Greek descent, "there is also a
growing immigrant community in the city"(Eastman). After the fall of the Soviet Union many of the
people of Albania moved to Greece in search for work. Majority of the people of Athenians with
Greek ancestors go

The Parthenon In Athens
The Parthenon in Athens was constructed for the purpose of representing the power of those leaders
at that time in Athens. There were some leaders who has a power in leading the sciety like elderly
and rich people who used to control the entire societ who designed the way the building look like.
This building reflect their power at that time. This shows that how Athenian were so powefull and
their impact in the city. The Partenon was built as a replacement of the one destroyed in the war and
as the one ancient building were some of its remain available at this time. Though it is destroyed by
war, there is some left which shows the style of the building. There are some image sculpture which
shows the way the situation of people life and belife. While the Pantheon in Rome is related with
God and religion where it is still using as church at the current time. The interior of the building is
very decorated and designed with the images which is related to religion. Still the building is
providing some service like wedding and funeral ceremony by some people. ... Show more content
When we see the Parthenon in Athens seems located in isolated place where i can not see some other
building in its surrounding. But the pantheon in Rome is built in the middle of city where there are a
lot of building around it. The Parthenon in Athens is not in good condition and it is left only the
remaining and seems it is not used anymore for service. on the other hand the Pantheon in Rome is
in good condition where it seems as nothing damage happened to it. There are many people who
seems providing or taking some service.
There are three types of columuns in the Parthenon building which differ in size and shape. This
difference give differnt appearance to the

Geography: New Athens
New Athens New Athens is a thoroughly planned island city in the Adriatic Sea, with equidistant
historic landmarks of Mainland Greece, the birthplace of democracy, and Italy, the birthplace of the
Renaissance. About 600,000 residents inhabit our city of mild winters and warm summers, typical of
a Mediterranean climate. Our city includes an inviting, sandy coastline, with leafy green forests
speckled throughout the central region of the island, while a magnificent volcano stands proudly
near the northern coast. These features lend themselves to tourism, one of our city's primary
industries and sources of income. In addition to tourism, a large–scale, commercial aquaponics
farming facility serves as a means of economic activity and growth, ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Our experts suggested Aquaponics. So, we converted an old, dilapidated warehouse –– an area
beginning to see a rise in crime –– into an indoor aquaponics gardening facility. Aquaponics is a
closed–loop system where fish waste (ammonia) is converted into nutrients and sent to plants that
grow three times faster than soil–based systems. And plants pay for the nutrients by cleaning the
water for the fish, resulting in both happy plants and happy fish. Furthermore, the fish can be eaten
after the cycle, and the organic plants could be harvested. This method is also better because of land
consumptions and time to grow. Up to four aquaponic plants can be grown in an area that could only
fit one plant when dumped in regular soil. Plus, plants grow four times faster than traditional
methods. This closed loop system allows us to get food without any negative pollutants. Rather than
keep it just a farm to grow food products, we saw an opportunity to boost our island's tourism by
renovating the warehouse into an aquaponics aquarium. This way, tourists and locals alike can pay
to walk through and see fish swimming around in enormous

Athens-Greece Essay
Athens – Greece
During the fifth century of Ancient Greece the city–states of Athens and Sparta represented two very
different forms of living. Spartans directed their time towards their military capabilities while the
Athenians were interested in comfort and culture. Sparta's and Athens' political and environmental
differences along with their different views on women caused the two city–states to be very
dissimilar.
Two major forms of government existed during Ancient Greece: oligarchy and democracy. The
government in Sparta was controlled by an oligarchy in which the power was held by a group of five
men called ephors. Working below the ephors was the Council of Elders and ... Show more content
It was also customary to expel from the country any speaker who became too powerful. However, as
stated in the Athenian Constitution, male citizens were equal and the government's focus was on the
individual rather than the state as a whole.2
Another difference between the two great city–states was their environment and how it affected the
trade in the two cities. The Athenian economy depended on foreign trade and travel.3 Because of
Athens' location on the Aegean Sea, sailing increased trade. While trade was a necessity in Athens, it
wasn't in Sparta. Since Sparta was cut off from the rest of Greece by two mountain ranges there was
little trade being done. The Spartans rarely traveled from their city–state or allowed foreigners into
it. This kept out foreign ideas and allowed an element of surprise when it came to attacks.4
Quite possibly one of the greatest differences between the Athenian and the Spartans regarded their
attitude towards women. Womens' roles in society and their relationship with the community played
a major role in the development and effectiveness of each state's government and culture. Unlike the
rest of Greek women, Spartan women had the freedom of equality except for voting rights. They did
little housework or sewing. Since men were in the military, the women had full authority over their
households and were not forced into a life of only childbearing and housekeeping

The Golden Age of Athens
The Golden age of Athens
Fifth–century Athens refers to the Greek city–state of Athens in the period of roughly 480 BC–404
BC. This was a period of Athenian political hegemony, economic growth and cultural flourishing
formerly known as the Golden Age of Athens or The Age of Pericles. The period began in 480 BC
when an Athenian–led coalition of city–states, known as the Delian League, defeated the Persians at
Salamis. As the fifth century wore on, what started as an alliance of independent city–states
gradually became an Athenian empire. Eventually, Athens abandoned the pretense of parity among
its allies and relocated the Delian League treasury from Delos to Athens, where it funded the
building of the AthenianAcropolis. With its enemies ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These measures appear to have been carried out in great measure since the testimony has come to us
from, (among others, the Greek historian Thucydides (c. 460 – 400 BCE), who comments: Everyone
who is capable of serving the city meets no impediment, neither poverty, nor civic condition...
Institutions
The magistrates
The magistrates were people who occupied a public post and formed the administration of the
Athenian state. They were submitted to rigorous public control. The magistrates were chosen by lot,
using fava beans. Black and white beans were put in a box and depending on which color the person
drew out they obtained the post or not. This was a way of eliminating the personal influence of rich
people and possible intrigues and use of favors. There were only two categories of posts not chosen
by lot, but by election in the Popular Assembly. These were strategos, or general, and magistrate of
finance. It was generally supposed that significant qualities were needed to exercise each of those
two offices. A magistrate's post did not last more than a year, including that of the strategoi and in
this sense the continued selection of Pericles year after year was an exception. At the end of every
year, a magistrate would have to give an account of his administration and use of public finances.
The most honored posts were the ancient archontes, or archons in English. In previous ages they had
been the

The City Of Sparta And Athens
The city of Ancient Sparta did not have wall. Its walls were its strong warriors, young men equip
with spears and shields. This radically unique city was unparalleled compared to cities in its time
and present day. The ideals related to the equality males and females were some of the most unique
aspects of Sparta. Women had power and responsibility in their own right. Its strict militaristic
mentality was the backbone of its well–run city which was unlike the city of ancient Athens. Athens
was dynamic and open to the world yet its democracy excluded people. Although good order was
important, women played the part of dutiful wife, not being seen or heard as a valuable part of
society. Sparta and Athens were radically different in its ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Only with Persian help in year 405 BCE was Sparta able to defeat the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami
(Cartwright). Sparta's rivalry with other city states grew as Sparta grew more ambition in controlling
central and northern Greece. The Corinthian Wars started from 396 to 387 BCE with Athens,
Thebes, Corinthian, and Persia (Cartwright). In its push to destroy Thebes, Sparta lost in the battle
of Leuctra in 371 BCE and Sparta has lost its glory for good. In 195 BCE Sparta joined the Achaean
Confederacy and under Roman control t sparked the Achaean war during its efforts to leave the
confederacy. But, finally in 396 CE, Sparta was completely taken by King Alaric of Visigoth
(Cartwright). According to legend, Athens began in competition between the Greek Gods Poseidon
and Athena for the honor of the city. Athena dropped a seed on the land that quickly became an olive
tree and Poseidon brought water to the land. The tree was deemed more valuable and the city was
therefore named after Athena (Mark). The land were not at fertile as the land of Sparta so early
Athens turned to land and sea trade in order to prosper. During the Mycenaean period from 1551 to
1100 BCE, the Mycenaean people were of the first people to occupy Attica, the land surrounding the
area (Mark). The Mycenaean people were known to be "great warriors and seafaring people" who
influenced the land with their unique culture as Greece slowly developed (Mark). From about

Athens V Sparta
Athens vs. Sparta
The Greek city–states of Athens and Sparta were similar in that they both denied women basic
rights, but they are more different because of their culture and political structures. In both city–
states, their social structures featured women as minorities. However, their customs and concepts
differ tremendously. Generally, Sparta had a very strict military–based state, while Athens focused
on the fine arts. Politically, the two city states differed in that Athens had a democracy and Sparta
had an oligarchy. Although the city–states had some similarities, they had vast differences.
Athens and Sparta were similar when it came to their social structures. Women's rights and
responsibilities were one of the few areas in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although Athens had a stronger navy, the Athenians spent more time making their city beautiful. In
Athens, they used League money to rebuild their city. They spent a lot of time and money to ensure
that they pleased the gods by creating statues, buildings and art. Athens focused on making music
and poetry while Sparta did not. This is important because both city–states influenced other states in
Greece by providing examples of art and military techniques. Overall, Spartans focused in
maintaining a powerful military force while Athenians focused on more artistic causes.
The two Greek city–states of Athens and Sparta were similar in that they both had social societies
that favored men. Both civilizations didn't believe women were equal to men as well. On the other
hand, their cultures were very different. Sparta had a main goal of a strong military while Athens
focused on art and music. Politically, Athens had a democracy and Sparta had an oligarchy. It is
important for us to study the similarities and differences between the two city–states because it will
enhance our understanding of how Athens was eventually defeated by Sparta. Clearly, Sparta and
Athens had more differences than they did attributes in common.
Bibliography:
Stearns book was used to gather

Greek Ancient Athens
The city–state of Athens is a part of the Greek Archaic cities. The history of Athens dates back to
3000 BCE, where the earliest evidence of occupation is documented, but the focus here is on Athens
in the Archaic Period, which dates from 800–500 BCE. During this period there were a large variety
of features that were detailed in the accounts of the city's society and history. The center of the city
is dominated by two hills, the Pnyx and the Acropolis. Pnyx is where the Popular Assembly held its
meetings. The Acropolis was the fortified center, then later became a religious sanctuary, the home
of Athena, the patron goddess of the city, and a host of other deities. During the 6th century the
Athenian Empire was at the peak of its power under ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Parthenon is a Doric Temple with Ionic Feature. Doric order was characterized by rectangular
shape, a levelling course, three steps on top of the levelling course, as well as the stylobate on top of
the steps marking the floor of the temple. The temple consisted of cult rooms surrounded by the
colonnade. Doric columns stand directly on the stylobate. The concave grooves of Doric fluting end
in a sharp line, or arris. The Doric capital consists of two parts, the round echinus, and above it, the
square abacus. The capitals form the transition from the column shaft to the entablature. The
entablature consists of three main parts–the architrave, the frieze, and the cornice. The architrave
rests on the columns and left plain in the Doric style. The frieze, in which the triglyphs alternate
with the metopes. The cornice, which forms the eaves along the sides of the building, and at the
short ends, the base for the gable, the broad triangular space. This space is bordered with a
horizontal course and two slopping courses. The Ionic features that the Parthenon posses are a
continuous sculpted frieze, as well as four Ionic columns supporting the roof of the

Essay Athens: The History of the City
Athens: The History of the City
The Beginnings
The Athenians have made it their boast that they had never been conquered. Both Achaean and
Dorian invaders passed them by, possibly because their rocky plain was far less fertile than the rich
valleys of Argos or Sparta. Thus the Athenians represented, or claimed to represent, the purest and
most ancient Grecian stock, descended from the gods themselves (Ellis). The initial name of Athens
was Akte or Aktike, named after the first king, Akteos
(http://www.sikyon.com/Athens/ahist_eg01.html). Her second name, Kekropia, came from the king,
Cecrops, who succeeded Akteos by marrying his daughter. According to the legend, his lower body
was that of a dragon. During his reign, goddess Athena ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Initially, there were only three Archons at a time, but eventually, that number increased to nine.?
Once the one–year term ended for the Archon, they then joined a council of elder statesmen called
the Aeropagus.? Council members served as judges in murder trials and prepared political matters to
be discussed and voted upon.?
Another noteworthy king important in Athenian history was King Codrus, who reined about 1060
B.C. when the first Dorian invaders attempted to conquer the area known as Attica (World Book).
The oracle at nearby Delphi predicted that, if the Dorians killed the Athenian king, they could not
win the city. Due to this, King Codrus resolved to sacrifice himself. The Dorians avoided him in
battle, so he disguised himself as a common soldier, went among the enemy, and, picking a quarrel
with some of them, was slain. When the Dorians realized who the victim was, they withdrew from
Attica without further struggle. The Athenians declared that no other king could be noble enough to
take the place of Codrus, and therefore they would have no more kings (Ellis)
Era After the Rule of Kings
As time moved on, the population of Athens grew rapidly.? Due to this, Athens acquired the best
farmland from the surrounding countryside to provide food for the people (World Book).? However,
small farmers in the area eventually went into debt because they couldn?t keep up with payment on
their land. Many of these farmers lost their

Classical Ideals : Ancient Athens
Kiran Kaur
Professor Codella
Humanities 300
3 November 2014
Classical Ideals The ancient Athens aimed for perfection with every detail in their lives; from the art,
architecture, philosophy, they wanted nothing less than perfect. This high standard of perfection is
known as the classical ideal. The ancient Athens's society was based solely on high standards of
living. The classical ideal was expressed in many ways in the Athens culture. Philosophy and
religion helped paved the mind with perfect thoughts (Sayre). By just glancing at the beautiful art
and sculptures of the Athens, you can tell how much thought and detail went into it to make it
absolutely perfect. The art is evidence that the Athens only wanted perfection. From the statues to
other art pieces, we are reminded again and again how perfect everything had to be in that culture.
This is also true with the architecture. The architecture leaves us in awe. It is hard to imagine that a
building can be so beautiful. We are reminded of how beautiful it is everyday because we have
adapted most of their architecture in our own country. To make sure everything was perfect, there
were certain rules and regulations, which are known as the classical ideal. The classical ideal of
ancient Athens stressed about the high standards of perfection and excellence and this theme is
illustrated time and time again throughout their traditions and culture.
The classical ideal of the ancient Athens embraces many ideas that build up to

Was Athens Just?
McKinley Gilmore
Hum 108
Professor Easton
Was Athens Just?
Athens was a great city of the Fifth century from Greece. They flourished during that time and were
at the height of their power. They were also a very smart people, and some of their ideas have lasted
all the way until present day. Perhaps one of the most important is democracy. Athens is one of the
earliest civilizations that use this form of government and it nearly lasted two hundred years. Its
hard to become as powerful as Athens did without making enemies or people that you rubbed the
wrong way. Some people will say that Athens was a just civilization and others will say that they
just looked out for themselves and attacked whoever would be of benefit to them. I think that Athens
was a just civilization, especially of their time, nobody is perfect.
Athens biggest contribution to us is their form of democracy that our system has ties to. The
mastermind behind this was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It really flourished during the Fifth century and we have a lot of stuff due to them. Athens is
arguably one of the oldest democracies that we know of and especially one of the most successful
during that time. Because of them we have a government that's very similar to what theirs was. I
also think that Athens was a just society. They didn't really go out of their way to pick on cities like
Persia did, they were more so interested in protecting their way of life and all Greeks. They looked
out for other Greek states and kept them safe, when they really didn't have to. They did get greedy at
times, but that's understandable because they were anxious about the threat Persia posed to them.
But I think most of the time they went out of their way to do the just and noble thing. You can tell
my their democracy, everyone had a chance to be involved, it was about making the rich richer and
the poor poorer. They wanted to make the standard of living for all Greeks

Essay about Ancient Athens
Ancient Athens The last Olympic swimmer just touched the wall and the race has ended. Cameras
are replaying every single movement from the race and a winner has been clearly decided. Just as
these Olympic swimmers will gain a medal for placing, ancient Athens had numerous
accomplishments of its own. Athens "prosperity ... was due in large part to its stable and effective
government" (SOURCE 1). When analyzing the history of ancient Athens, is easy to see how the
accomplishments of a democracy, Greek philosophy, and Greek literature all shape Athens. Athens
is the home of democracy. It is the first known example of where people began to govern
themselves. The democracy of Athens slowly developed around 500 BC, during the Classical ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Solon is the second person to reform the laws of Athens. He began revising laws in the 590s BC and
"allowed all men in Athens to take part in the assembly that governed the city and to serve on the
juries that heard trials" (SOURCE 1). Along with participation in the assembly, Solon "forbade the
practice of debt slavery and set up a fund to buy back Athenian slaves who had been sold abroad"
(SOURCE 2). Solon "based eligibility for political office on property qualifications, not birth,"
permitting those not born of high social status to have the opportunity to hold an office (SOURCE
2). Through all of these events, society still did not accept the laws and because of this, more
problems arose. During the troubles and chaos, a man by the name of Peisistratus "took advantage
of the renewed conflict to seize power" (SOURCE 1). Peisistratus is a tyrant among the Athenians,
however, is a popular person. This is because he "proceeded to institute Solon's reforms" (SOURCE
2). The men of Athens who participated in the democracy were to "vote in all elections, serve in
office if elected, serve on juries, and serve in the military during the war" (SOURCE 1). Cleisthenes,
another law reformer, "divided Athens into 10 tribes based on where people lived" and "made these
new tribes...the basis for elections" (SOURCE 1). The tribes had to send

Sparta And Athens
According to Blackwell (2003), participation in Public life and decision making in the community
have dissimilar approach for Sparta and Athens.
In Sparta, there is a sense of similarity amongst male citizens as they are all soldiers and had
political rights, but Spartan men are divided by wealth. Therefore, there is no equality amongst its
citizens. Only free born native males of Sparta or Athens had any form of right to public political
life.
In Sparta, the native males are automatic members of the public assembly where they can vote
annual Ephors or lifetime Gerousias as required. Dining in their officers mess and belonging to a
group therein has a major influence on a person's public life as a citizen. Also, groups of 15 men
were formed ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although most public positions are tied to wealth and age. The 10 annually elected generals were
selected based on their financial status. Minor role players in public office were selected by lottery
(Blackwell, 2003).
.
SELECTION OF PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS
Only native free male citizens can vote for public office holders. Foreigners, slaves or women are
not permitted to interfere. This is effective both in Sparta and Athens.
Wealth also plays a major role and serves as prerequisite for participation in public offices
(Blackwell, 2003).
SIMILARITIES
The two states are similar in that both are easily influenced by rich landowners in the cities.
Aristocrats had a higher say in matters of state. Also, both the Athenian council and Spartan
Gerousia were elected through public assembly. Both Sparta and Athens denied non citizens
political power.
The Spartan Gerousia is similar to the Athenian Areopagus. They determine what issue is presented
at the popular assembly.

Both Sparta and Athens have the popular assembly consisting of free born native male citizens of
the state who vote their representatives of Ephors and gerousia in the public assembly (Blackwell,
2003).
HOW THEY

Sparta Vs Athens
Sparta vs. Athens daily life.
In the past unit we have discussed about poleis and compared how free men, in both, Sparta and
Athens were in control of political affairs, however we are still left wondering how people really
lived their lives on day to day basis. I feel that the best way to describe it, is by looking at each
individual groups, as society at the time was separated by men, woman, slaves and perhaps even
looking at how children grow up to become part of one of these groups.
The Athenian raised boys and girls very differently. Boy went to school after the age of 7 and
learned how to read and write in addition to arithmetic, poetry and music, in later years, followed by
learning how to become good public speakers and debaters, ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The perception we have, it that Athens people was intellectual and devoted literature, arithmetics
and the arts, giving us the most known philosophers of human history, such as Aristotle, Socrates,
Plato, Xenophon. While Sparta gave us the most famous warriors including Lycurgus, the known
founder of militaristic Sparta society and of course Leonidas, the brave, that lead an army of men to
death against the Persians, in notorious Battle of the

Athens Under Solon Essay
When the city of Athens stood on the brink of revolution, the citizens of Athens looked upon Solon
and gave him the task of creating new laws for them because of troubles that had been plaguing
them for a long time. " They saw that he more than anyone else in city, stood apart from the
injustices of the time and was involved neither in the extortions of the rich nor the privations of the
poor" (Plutarch 55, Par 1). In this paper I will be writing of changes that took effect under Solon and
whether those changes resolved the conflicts that brought Athens on the brink of revolution. First, I
will be writing about the conflict over land ownership and slavery between aristocrats and common
people, who appointed Solon as reconciler and archon ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They wanted Solon to redistribute the land which he did not do, but instead he made Olive oil the
only product of Athens allowed to be exported. So if there was anything extra leftover from the
farms of aristocrats, they had no choice but to give to starving poor and Hill peasants. If anyone
were to export anything but oil be punished by archon or should pay fine to the public treasury"
(Plutarch 66, Par 3). "After making Attica a great and secure place to live, he realized that the city
was filling up with people in a steady stream from everywhere in Greek; at the same time he
realized that most of the country was still poor and unproductive, and people elsewhere are not in
the habit of sending their goods to those who have nothing to offer in exchange. He therefore
encouraged the sharecroppers to turn to the arts and crafts of manufacture and made a law that no
son was obliged to support his father unless the father first taught the son a trade of some kind"
(Plutarch 64, Par 2).
"At first, the changes Solon made did not please either party. The rich were angry because of being
deprived of their securities and losing out on their property and the poor even more so, because
Solon did not carry out a redistribution of the land as they had expected him to do" (Plutarch 58, Par
2). However, it was not long before they realized that what Solon had done was great and saw the
advantages of his policy. Athenians were so happy that they went on to appoint Solon to

Power In Athens
Understanding the Role of Power in Athenian Justice and Morality In the era of the Peloponnesian
War, Athens commits numerous heinous acts to its subordinate city–states: from the siege of Melos
to the slaughter at Corcyra, Athens in many cases refuses to show any sign of mercy. The Athenians'
willingness to conduct these actions largely stems from a mindset which treats morality, justice, and
power as one and the same. While this mindset is, to an extent, innate to human nature and the
mentality of warfare in general, it is taken further than what would be considered normal in the case
of the Athenians. Particularly, Athens justifies its actions with a mentality which stems largely from
their capitalistic regard to power and hypocritical ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Pericles states that, now that military failure has befallen Athens, they have "repented of [their]
action when things went badly." (Thuc 2.61). Athens followed Pericles in his decisions when they
seemed to bode well for them, but once their hubris and actions have led them to defeat, they place
the blame on Pericles. However, Pericles argues that "[he is] the same as [he] was, and [does] not
alter;" rather, it is Athens that has changed and left the responsibility on him. This illuminates a
theme of democracy, where the whole distributes guilt for their actions such that ownership for their
mistakes is not as readily felt, but when they lead to failure, the blame falls on a scapegoat, even
when they remain consistent in their viewpoint and when the blame actually lies in the leadership as
a whole. This lack of ownership for particular actions lends to the idea that Athens refuses to
recognize their deeds as unjust and indicative of any larger issue. The distribution of responsibility
in a democracy is but one of the ways in which Thucydides illustrates the possible flaws in Athens'

Olive Trees Important To Athens
Olive Trees and their historical and spiritual importance to Athens
By Cade Lannigan
Thesis:
If olive trees didn't exist Athens would have been a lot less successful.
Questions:
What was the mythology behind olive trees ?
How important were olive trees to the Athenians and what did they do to protect them ?
How did people make olive oil and what was it used for in ancient Greece ?
One example of olive tree importance was when Sparta burned all of their olive trees to weaken
their trading market of olive tree products.(smart move Sparta) Olive trees were so important to
Athens that one year when their olive groves failed they bought about 14,800 gallons ( 56,000 liters)
of olive oil from a merchant. This tell us that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I understand how democracy can be a good thing such as people voting, but democracy can be a bad
thing like how in Athens not everybody could vote. During my project I also came across wars and
disagreements with Athens and Sparta and how each of them fought throughout the ages to have
more money and power.
Economics
2.1 2.1 2.1.1 2.2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.3 2.3.1 2.4 2.4.1 I understand people need water and food, but people
and countries want things like power and money and how your government's decisions can
influence those things in good and bad ways. One example was when the Athenian military let
Sparta burn their olive groves and the rest of the city a huge loss, but a good trick to win the next
battle.
Geography
3.1 3.1.1 3.2 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.3 3.3 3.3.1 In the early research stages of my project I used maps
to find out where the city states were. I learned that During the Peloponnesian war Athens used the

narrow straight to their advantage. I learned that Athenians couldn't grow wheat so they had to tax
people with wheat/grain and trade for

Comparing The Parthenon In Athens And The Pantheon
The Parthenon in Athens and the Pantheon in Rome
University of the People
2015
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comparison between the two most famous buildings in
ancient Greece "The Parthenon" and "The Pantheon" in Rome,
We will consider how the style and function (use) of each building serves as a typical example of its
culture and how are the similarities and differences between ancient Greece and Rome seen in these
two buildings.
The Parthenon
The erection of this building dates back to 447 BC. The architects were Iktinos and Kallikrates. The
primary building material used was marble. The main function of the building was as temple to
represent essentially the power

Athens And Sparta
Athens and Sparta, two great cities of Greece having a great historical value. The first, with a
population of 140,000 people and the second with a population of 100,000 people. The climate of
Athens is a Mediterranean climate, while the Sparta one is rather temperate but very dry. Due to soil
erosion and not much vegetation, water was a rare commodity in Sparta. Both populations depended
on agriculture. Athens with a democratic government, while Sparta had a dictatorial government or
military service was compulsory.
Life in Athens and Sparta was very different. Because of their different conception of the structure
of their government. Athens was open while Sparta was closing on himself, concentrating on his
army. Sparta considered himself

The Acropolis: The City Of Athens
The word Acropolis comes from two Greek words meaning "edge" (acro) and "city" (–opolis). An
acropolis is a complex built in a high area, usually on a hill. It is generally found in an extremely
rocky region, just above Athens. The Acropolis is set 490 feet in the sky above the city of Athens
and is approximately 7 acres. It's most important buildings were constructed during the years of 495
BCE and 429 BCE. This was during the reign of Pericles. The Acropolis was originally meant to
protect Athens from attacks. It served as a fortress. There are other acropolis', however, the one in
Athens is the most famous. In an effort to construct these buildings, Pericles hired skilled architects
to build the acropolis. He had hundreds of people

Ancient Athens Research Paper
Athens was an ancient city–state in Greece. The city is located by the Aegean Sea, in Attica, Greece.
Athens is sometimes called: "Birthplace of democracy."
Food Supply: Athens wasn't a great place for farming, but they did have lots of olives. They traded
goods, pottery and other stuff for more food, such as wheat.
Water Supply: Most homes had their own wells and/or cisterns for collecting rainwater, but still
relied on the public fountains in the city for extra water. They also used pipes.
Toys: Children would play with rattles, balls, dolls, knucklebones & dice. Many were made of
terracotta clay.
Athenians didn't like having large families. Unwanted babies were usually left outside in clay pots
[to die or get adopted]. (Free baby on sale ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He spent his last few days with his friends and family.
He died in 399 BC.
The "Golden Age" of Athens was a period of time when they "grew" in political leadership,
economic growth, and cultural flourishing.
c.480 BC~404 BC was the time of the Golden Age, aka the Age of Pericles. A severe plague struck
Athens in c.430 BC, in the 2nd year of the Peloponnesian War.
The plague killed about 1/3 of the people.
Many people died alone because nobody wanted to take the risk of caring for them.
The plague may have come from Piraeus, the city's port, brought by germs on rats.
Pericles died of the plague. The Parthenon was the chief temple of the goddess Athena. It is
located on the sacred hill of Acropolis, in Athens.
The Parthenon was actually used [primarily] as a treasury.
Pericles organized the construction of the Parthenon.
Theatre began with festivals honoring their gods.
The main three genres for a play were tragedy, comedy and satyr("joking/tragedy")
Women were not allowed to act. Women, children, slaves and foreign people were not allowed
to vote.
The right to citizenship is not determined by social–economic status, instead is the power of
appropriation.
The legal system was more challenging because no lawyers or representatives for them.
Everyone(Adults) can

Dbq On Athens
"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the
new," said Socrates, a famous Greek philosopher. Athens was one of many city–states in Ancient
Greece. This city–state had a form of government that was for the people to have a say. Athens had
great geography that was advantageous for them. Athens also had many achievements culturally
such as architecture and philosophy. The city–state that was superior was Athens because of their
geography, government, and cultural achievements.
Athens had the geographic advantage over Sparta economically, politically, and socially. "As the soil
was not conductive to large–scale agricultural programs, Athens turned to trade for its livelihood and
mainly, to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Rising 500 feet above sea level, the Acropolis in Athens showcases some of the finest examples of
Greek architecture." (Document C: Architecture in Athens) Architecture is one of the greatest
aspects of Athenian culture. These beautiful buildings such as the Acropolis were attractions for
citizens of other city–states or even countries when visiting Athens, These citizens were able to learn
a little bit about Athens' culture through the architecture and many other things such as religion,
literature, art, entertainment, and much more. "Philosophy was the special way Greeks attempted to
make sense out of the world, in a non–religious way. This means that rather than using myths and
stories to understand the world, they would use their intelligence and reasoning skills." (Document
G: Philosophy in Athens) Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle who were some of the most famous
philosophers lived in Athens. They expressed how they believed the world and everything in it
works and how it came to be. Whatever these philosophers were able to figure out based on their
knowledge, the citizens would start to think about the world too and choose their beliefs on how it
worked and came to be. Citizens were also able to learn about Athens' culture through the
philosophy because they would be able to see what Athenians believed and compare it to their
beliefs. These are all reasons why Athens is

Romanization Of Athens
Athens is located on the bottom right side of Greece near the Saronic Gulf Islands. The city is
surrounded by the Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Evoikos, the Saronic Gulf and the
Gulf of Corinth. Not only is Athens surrounded by various bodies of water, but on land surrounded
by the mountains: Aigaleo to the west, Parnes to the north, Pentelikon to the northeast, and
Hymettus to the east. The city's location being at the bottom of the country instead of more north
and inland, gives it a typical mediterranean climate (which would be no different than Sparta's).
Athen's values align primarily with education, progression, and the well–being of its society.
Athens is well known for its education; primarily schools of thought ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Many of them denounced wealth and as I'd assume the students of the school of thought probably
did not desire luxurious lives. One of the more humorous philosophers, Diogenes of Sinope
(arguably just a comedian) lived in a tub/barrel (debated) in the middle of Athens for some time due
to how much he stood against wealth and that type of lifestyle. Also due to the society's
contemplation and value of education, it would be reasonable to assume they valued other things
and weren't that concerned about wealth as a

Women In Athens Research Paper
The great city–state of Athens was established around 3000 B.C¹ and was named after the Greek
goddess of wisdom and military victory, Athena. The Athenian empire lasted until its defeat in the
Peloponnesian war in 404 B.C², but despite its defeat Athens is still the capital of modern day
Greece. Greece is considered to be the cradle of western civilization, but the city in Greece that most
lives up to that claim is Athens as it was the home of democracy, philosophy, and free thinking.
Although some would argue that Sparta was the greater city state do to its skilled army and
progressive views in respect to women, Athens also had a strong army and the strongest navy in the
ancient world, one that was used to drive out the Persians and protect all of Greece⁴. In spite of the
fact that women did not have the same liberties as Athenian men, women were still valued by the
Athenians and were considered to be an important part of society, especially when it came to
religion. According to the World History textbook: Athen Evolves Into a Democracy "Women in
Athens", Women participating in public religious ceremonies was considered to be important for the
well being of the city. Athens, despite its shortcomings, was still the superior city–state, because of
its trade, culture, and diverse education. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Athens economy was based mostly on trade⁷. Trade greatly benefited Athens and its people because
it made sure that the Athenians would always have a source of food, even during droughts⁵. Athens'
sea trade also brought in many goods to Greece that they wouldn't be able to get otherwise.
According to https://www.ancient.eu/article/115/trade–in–ancient–greece/ "Athens' port of Piraeus
became the most important trading centre in the Mediterranean and gained a reputation as the place
to find any type of goods on the

Essay About Athens And Sparta
Athens and Sparta were two supper "Poleis" in ancient Greece. The two states operated in different
ways in terms of their governance, political life, economy, education and social life.
Athens operated a democratic system of government, while it neighbor the Sparta operated a
military system of government. The right to participate in public life was therefore different in both
states.
The state of Athens became a democracy in about 500 BCE. The composition of Athens population
include the following, citizens, Metics and slaves.(Brandn.d).
All free citizens over the age of 18 were considered citizens and could participate in public life. A
council of over 500 male citizens over the age of 30 meet every day to run the day to day affairs of
the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
On the other hand the Sparta economy depended on farming. They relied more on the slaves and
non–citizens to produce. The Sparta discourage trade for the fear that slaves will get new ideas that
will weaken their government. They equally had their own form of currency in the form of long rods
for trade. This made it difficult for anybody to steal undetected. Education system in Athens and
Sparta were different. In Athens the development of intellectual capacity was paramount. Boys and
girls were treated differently. Boys were favored in all sphere of life than girls. The boys in Athens
started education at home at the age of 7 before they were sent to public schools to learn reading,
writing and mathematics. At the age of 18, boys began the military training. Girls were not given
this opportunity in Athens. They were less educated and thought only how to cook, clean weave and
take care of children at home.
The Spartan system of education differed from that of Athens in that, they believed that men and
women were responsible for protecting the state. This started right from birth.
If a baby was born and found to have, defect or not strong, enough were killed. All
Spartan children especially men were train to fight at very young age. Men were

Rise Of Athens Essay
In the 5th century BC the city of Athens is growing rapidly. The city of Goddess Athena will
succeed under the leadership of the famous Pericles, to experience the greatest glory that a city
would ever know. Pericles will be the one who will sign it and through his politics Athens will enter
the so–called "Golden Age".
He was the one who actually transformed Athens from a city–state to a metropolis and gradually to
an empire. (Pericles, 2009)
All started with the Delian League which rendered Athens a dominant in the Hellenic area. As soon
as the treasury of the League was located in Athens there was a sudden development in many areas
including, constructions, trade, arts and culture. He had also made many social reformations
allowing citizens ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Spartans were terrified of Athens evolution and were looking for a cause to interfere.
That cause will eventually come by the Corfiots.
The naval battle in Sivota in 433 BC will mark the beginning of the Peloponnesian War that lasted
for 27 years. (Ancient Warfare, 2008) At the beginning of the war the Athenians had managed to
keep Spartans away, but a sudden plague resulted in the death of a major number of Athenians,
including Pericles himself. Soon enough his strategies were abandoned and as none of his processes
had the ability to lead the army.
The next day found Athens under the Spartan Sovereignty. The Peloponnesian War managed to
radically change the flow of history. It was probably the most destructive and those who took part in
it didn't remain unaffected. At the same it signed the end of democracy and the Golden Age.
Although the Peloponnesian War was the reason for the end of the Athenian Golden Age it would be
unfair to blame only the Spartans. Warfare was a usual thing in the ancient times as there was much
competition between city–states. If we take into account the rule of rise and fall, the end of the
Golden Age would be inevitable and that was proved by the fact that when the Peloponnesian War
was over the new force in the Hellenic area, the Macedonians conquered the whole Greece,
establishing a new form of government, the

The Characteristics And Differences Of Sparta And Athens
In the world of the ancient Greeks, there were hundreds of states that composed the Peloponnesian
group that formed Greece. Among these states, there were two that stood more prominent and
dominant than all of the others: Sparta and Athens. These two titans of the Archaic periods left
lasting marks on history that still reverberate even to this day. In many ways, they were very similar
to each other, and in others, they could not be more contrasting.
Sparta was somewhat unique, in that they were "ruled" by two kings, and had political groups that
voted on policies. They had three major assemblies, an elder council known as the Gerousia, a group
of five magistrates known as the Ephors and a council of all Spartan men, called simply ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Athens, unlike it's contemporary Sparta, was a Democracy. However, many of the people did not
"qualify" to vote or have political rights. Only adult male citizens of proven Athenian lineage who
had complete their military preparation were allowed the right to vote in Athens. Even were a
Athenian to pass this restriction, there were other requirements to meet the criteria for political
service. There were both aristocrats and commoners polities, but the amount of power they wielded
was determined by wealth. They were broken down into amounts of grain one could provide as a
measure of their wealth. The minority were the three top ranks, the "500 bushel men" comprised of
aristocrats, the "300 bushel men" encompassing men who could provide horses to the army and the
middle class "200 bushel men" who could afford to equip themselves with armor and weaponry.
These men, as was aforementioned, were only a small margin. The rest of the citizenry, at the
bottom, were composed of the 199 bushels or less. These free men could vote in the assembly, but
couldn't run for any of the major or minor political offices. The actual positions in Athinian
government were broken down several forms of positions from a public assembly to a

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Athens
Democracy and oligarchy, what does this have to do with anything, right? Well, actually when it
comes to Ancient Greece it is very important, because these two types of government are the main
two types in Greece. Athens is superior to Sparta, because how things were changed, and the power
of the people. First, Athens went through different types of government, it made them where they
are now. As they became more rich and a bigger city–state, the governments were changing all the
time. The wealthiness became so big that it was given to the aristocracy, but only a few members.
There might have been a lack of laws that are staying in the city–state. Although, secondly, Athens
fixed that in 621 BCE by Draco the Statesmen. He provided the inequities ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Lastly, drama/theatre, the drama concept was established by the Athenians. City Dionysia was a
festival, it was used as tribute, originally to Dionysia, the God of celebration and wine. Comedy and
tragedy, were the two types of drama in Greece. Comedy was fun/funny to make someone happy
and laugh. Tragedy were things like love/hate/war/and betrayal, though there would always end up
being a hero, who would die at the end. Between the two, Athens and Sparta, one of the had the best
geographical advantage, and I think we all know which one that is. Athens is superior to Sparta,
because it is the largest city–state in Greece, the three different regions, the trades, and the climate.
There were three different regions, the lowlands, the mountains, and the coast. The soil was uneven
and very rocky on the Greek peninsula, which left less than 20% of land to be farmed on. They
relied mainly on grains and other food to be imported from the regions around them. Land–Travel
was difficult because of the mountains around them. Greece controlled Attica, a region. All the
mountains there were fertile valleys, with so many farms between the

Power Hungry Athens
Whose Fault Was it Anyway: The Power Hungry Athenians?
"If we do go to war, have no thought that you went to war over a trivial affair" (Pericles, in Hunt
101¬). With a sudden rise to power after the end of the Persian War, Athens became a naval
superpower in control of many other city–states in the Delian alliance that struck fear into their
rival, the Spartans, who believed that the Athenians might destroy Sparta's control over their own
alliance. Becoming as powerful as Athens did, the city–state became power–hungry and led the
Greeks into long years of turmoil, leading to the end of the Golden Age. Sparta may have started the
war, but Athens holds most of the blame, for creating an empire through the Delian League,
prospering economically, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They "believ[ed] that their security depended on winning a competition for power" (Hunt 79). Allied
with city–states from northern Greece, the islands of the Aegean Sea, and along the Ionian coast,
this alliance was built on naval power. By controlling the seas and most coastal regions Athens
created a global super power that could rival Sparta's alliance in size and strength, intimidating the
other nation. "It began as a democratic alliance..." (Hunt 79), but Athens soon took complete control
of the allies, because the city–state was allowed to command and set up all of the league's financial
arrangements for the naval fleet. Around three hundred city–states paid dues according to its size to
the Athenians, who in turn were in charge of how the dues were spent. Most of the dues that were
not already paid in the form of triremes were spent on building the boat and paying the oarsmen. It
was through this line of work and amount of income, gaining both income and political influence,
that the poor citizens were "eager to expand Athens's power over other Greeks" (Hunt 80). This very
fleet of triremes were used by the Athenians to force disobedient allies to pay financial dues. With
Athens becoming as powerful as they did in a short amount of time the militant Sparta feared for
their superiority in controlling their own providences and

The Business Life of Ancient Athens
The Business Life of Ancient Athens
The Business Life of Ancient Athens is an informative book about different aspects of Ancient
businesses and Ancient ways of dealing with money.
This book first starts out by explaining the agricultural aspects of Ancient
Athens. Agriculture was not well for Athens, so they had to trade a lot. It is recorded as early as the
6th century BC that grain was a very big part of an average Athenian's diet. Therefore; much grain
trade was necessary because
Greece land was very bad for agricultural purposes. Athens had grown industrially and
commercially within time, and this was also a problem: overpopulation. Also, many Spartan tribes
over and over attacked Greece and destroyed any crops that might grow ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
They feared it because it had become much greater in strength. If mining had not come, there would
have been no Athenian Empire, or an Age of
Pericles. So, in the scabrous hills of Laurium, silver struck. Everyone was fascinated with this new
idea. In present day Laurium, you can still see the remains of the mining and see everything. Many
things were not found out about the mining, because not too many records were kept. But many
modern engineers and archaeologists have looked into the land of Laurium and have found remains
of apparatus, and from analyzation of cinder collections. However, it is not known how silver was
extracted from the stones, how they were crushed and how they eventually made silver objects from
the mined silver. The history of this can not be reconstructed. The way this author approaches this
topic is in a supportive way. He is very Greek favoring and states many comments about how many
people do NOT give the early Greek people the credit they deserve. For instance on page 82 the
author states "many students of economic history have not yet given Greek banking the attention
it deserves [in banking]. " and the author proceeds in telling of all the wonderful things the Greeks
have done about banking and how the Romans merely just watched the early Greeks. The author
also thinks of the mining industry as wonderful. He explained it in such an exciting manner . As a
result of reading this book, I have formed

Essay About Athens, Greece

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Essay About Athens, Greece