How Did The Spartans Confront The Persians

How Did The Spartans Confront The Persians
It is 490 B.C. and the powerful Persian army is about to invade my polis of Athens and all of
mainland Greece. The Persians have just caused the fall of Eritrea and now were next. We are
outnumbered easily and even the Spartans have denied us their help. The Greeks have sent
Philippides, a professional messenger to Sparta asking for their assistance in the battle. The Spartans
decided to help but unfortunately there was a law that they are reluctant to break. They would not
fight until the moon was full. I Kristo II may confront the Persians and just give in to protect my
family. Then at least I would be able to keep our belongings, we would still be alive. If I give king
Darius III some info on my fellow Athenians I might even be able to live
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The Definition Of Justice : Just Or Unjust?
The definition of justice changes over time and across various cultures. While it may be impossible
to create a single definition of justice that encompasses all its possible interpretations, it is
undoubtedly true that justice is a social construct, or an idea created by society. Therefore, while
evaluating whether something is just or unjust, one should evaluate it using the definition of justice
from the time period in which the event occurred. In other words, one should ask whether the event
was just or unjust for its time. Today, many claim that Socrates was unjustly executed for his crimes;
however, this conclusion is falsely made using a modern view of what constitutes as just. From an
Athenian perspective of justice with judgement, Socrates was justly tried for his convictions. To the
early Greeks and Romans, justice is a form of vengeance–it stems from the belief that if one is
wronged, he has the right to punish his wrongdoers. This "eye for an eye" and self–serving
mentality later evolved as the Athenians adopted a democracy. Rather than equate justice with
revenge, Athenians began believing in the idea of justice with judgement. From this perspective,
justice is determined by holding trials where several hundred Athenian citizens decide an accused
man's fate–what is just is what the majority believe serves the public interest of Athens.
This definition of justice validates the Athenian jury's decision to find Socrates guilty; Socrates is a
threat to the

The Battle Of Achilles : The Swift-Footed Achilles
The 5th century BC would have been a perilous time for a citizen of a Greek state. Not only did
Greece defend herself from an external threat but her very own clans warred against themselves. In
this chaotic climate, the theatre became an outlet for Athenians to flesh out the underlying themes of
war, conquest and their very own humanity. There could be no better setting for such a quest than
one intertwined in the very fabric of Greek consciousness. The Homeric tradition itself is not a
simple self–congratulatory tail of Achaean triumph. Both sides are united by the tragedy of a city
under siege (Miles 1986, 189). Epic tradition deals with mortality and the human condition in an
unexpected way; at its core, it sees the enemy as an extension of itself (Dué 2006, 3). Achilles
(Hom. Il., 9.323–27) and Odysseus (Hom. Od., 8.521–31) invoke the laments of Trojan women for
their husbands, the very soldiers that might have fallen by their own swords (Dué 2002, 5–11).
Specifically, the swift–footed Achilles relates to a woman at a visceral level with a simile of a
mother bird that has toiled to raise her young only to lose them (Dué 2006, 3). Hektor's death should
be a clear Achaean highpoint in the narrative but it is immediately dampened by the following
scenes of a despairing father, mother and wife (Hom. Il., 22.404–515). Finally, the closing stages of
the Iliad does not leave the audience with the funerary scenes of Achilles' inevitable end but of his
nemesis Hektor

Athens And Rome : The Strengths Of Athens Vs. Rome
Athens vs. Rome Both Athens and Rome were very successful societies that paved the way for
western development over time. They had their own styles of government, art, politics, and social
constructs. The Athenians laid the foundations for democracy, built their own political systems for
their government, and allowed citizens to contribute to Athenian society. The Romans established a
Republic that represented the people of Rome and allowed lots of different people from different
backgrounds to participate in Rome's development. Although both had many strengths they also had
weaknesses. Government in Athens was revolutionary for western civilization because it brought
power to the people instead of just a select few like earlier civilizations in the West. Democracy, as
said in The Funeral Oration of Pericles, "power is in the hands not of the minority, but of the whole
people." (Sparta vs. Athens, p. 6). This government provided more freedom for citizens of Athens. It
allowed them to settle private disputes, put people in power that would represent their groups
outside the Polis, and make decisions that would better their nation. Athens really make the
Democracy of their time sound like it was full proof, but it really didn't represent everyone in
Athens. The only people who had any real say in the things that happened in Athens were the actual
citizens of the state. They just say "people" to make it sound better, but in fact it was just, "sort of a
lie (hype)" (Lecture,

Make Athens A Better Society
As a retired sailor, I am just seeking for peace and forgiveness, all of my arguments will be based on
my life experiences and my expertise as the Sailor that I once was. All I want is the best for my
family and the people of Athens, I have seen the destruction of war and the best way to avoid war
and future problems, in my opinion, is by education ourselves to become better citizens and live
peacefully among each other. We have to start making a radical change in this society; we have to
stop getting easily influenced by our governors and have our own voice heard, don't change the
country, change the people in the country. I believe that the best way to have our voice heard is by
attending Assembly, Despite the fact that we're getting paid, ... Show more content on
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We want to listen to what they think; we need to know their opinion because every person has a
whole different perspective of how things should be done, we have to let them know why is it
important for them to attend Assembly. Those different perspectives can help in Assembly, every
opinion can help change or improve the opinions of other people, that's why we'll need the opinions
of the Athenian people. Now that we have seen our enemies destroy our town, trashed our values,
and raped our women, now it's the time to make this government different and we can change it by
attending Assembly, not just for the money, but for the future generations of Athens. Some people at
first won't attend Assembly due to the lack of education that they have; they will feel embarrassed to
attend Assembly, but we have to let them know that we want their opinions and their perspectives
based on the life experience that they all have had. We have to unify all social classes into
Assembly, saying that no discrimination between classes can get away without expulsion of
Assembly. As Plato states in The Republic '' Then we would rightly say that the understanding of the
one is knowledge since he knows, but that of the other is opinion, since he judges by appearances''
(Pg.

Athenian Democracy and Divination Essay
Athenian Democracy and Divination
Divination was a prevalent feature in Archaic Greece, as it provided objective advice, to assist
people in making appropriate decisions in problematic predicaments. In certain situations its
ambiguity allowed decisions to be postponed, or blame to be assigned to others. Divination was also
used to explain matters that seemed unexplainable, such as crop failure or drought. This is illustrated
in the Homeric epics, which depicts numerous oracle interpreters, such as Calchas, consulting
oracles on domestic, as well as, military decisions. Divination was a guiding authority in ancient
society. However, during the fifth and fourth century BC, the democratic ... Show more content on
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Furthermore, when the Athenians suggest to the Melians that they should become allies with them,
against the Spartans, the Melians state:
'â€¦We trust that the gods will give us fortune as good as yoursâ€¦'[3]
In contrast, the Athenians dismiss the protection of the gods, and state:
'This kind of attitude is not going to be of much help to you in your absurd conquest for safety at the
moment'.[4]
Thucydides portrays the Athenians in an arrogant light, which suggests that they will get their
comeuppance for such sacrilegious opinions. Furthermore, Thucydides also highlights the scientific
approach that the Athenians have towards their domination of the Peloponnese, suggesting that it is
the 'law of nature', that they should conquer as much as they can. The rise of freethinking, that the
democracy had established, had lead to the neglect of the gods. In comparison, Xerxes, in his
conquest to dominate Greece, complies with a dream that is sent from the gods, which indicates to
him and Artabanus that he should continue with the Persian wars.[5] Herodotus, writing in the early
fifth century, highlights the importance of following divination, whereas, Thucydides, writing in the
later fifth century, focuses on decisions made by the people.
The Sicilian expedition, from 415BC,

Greek Intellectual Values
Throughout the time period of 600 BCE to 600 CE, many societies learned to develop innovative
ways of living and flourishing. Many of the views on society and the way they believed a society
should be run overall, impacted the way civilizations are run today. Some of the civilizations that
helped to develop this were Greece, Rome, the Maya, and Alexander the Great's Empire. This age
helped develop different political, cultural and intellectual values. Many of these developments
began in Athens, but other city–states also played an important role. One of the political values
Greek civilizations developed is the use of philosophy in the form of humanism. In addition, there
cultural values consisted of try to portray themselves to the gods to seem worthy. Lastly, the Greek's
impacted us through many intellectual values one being, there form of architecture and there way of
art in that specific civilization. But overall Greeks helped to develop forms of literature, philosophy,
art, and the understanding of the world around them.
While these events in Greece occurred a war broke out between Greece and Persia known as the
Persian War. The war occurred in 5th century BCE and had a long lasting effect on Greece. In 599
BCE the Persians conquered a group of people that inhabited Asia Minor called Ionian Greeks.
When the Ionian Greeks found Persian rule to be unjust they requested help from mainland Greeks.
Although when Athens sent ships to help in the defeat of Persia, they were

Hoplites Into Democracy Analysis
In his 1996 work titled Hoplites into Democrats: The Changing Ideology of Athenian Infantry,
Victor Hanson analyzes the timeline of the Athenian government as it transitions into a democracy
and the effect this transition had on their warfare culture. Throughout the article, Hanson refers to
the seventh and sixth century BC as the 'normative polis' before democracy when the government
was timocratical and Athens was an early agrarian polis; and then continues his article to emphasize
the fifth and fourth centuries BC during the political reforms and the emergence of democracy as the
main form of government. Hanson mentions the tensions that arose between landowners and non–
landowners as the government transitioned from timocratic to democratic, ... Show more content on
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With continuous war and battles being fought, the Athenian farmers gained profits because of
"greater opportunity for theft" (301). Hanson pulls from the fragmented works of an anonymous
Oxyrhynchus Historian to support his plundering claim. The historian writes that "the Athenian
countryside was 'the most lavishly furnished' in Greece" (300). Hanson draws to the conclusion that
"Attic farmers in the fifth century BC often took rural property from conquered subjects and then
re–employed it on their own farms" (301). With money being the new standard of privilege, as
stated earlier, farmers utilized the lavish material items they plundered to gain economic status
within their culture. Another policy that Attic farmers enjoyed under democracy was the
"introduction of pay for hoplite military service... sometime around the mid–fifth century BC"
(301). Hanson notes that Athenian farmers "were discovering the attractions democracy had to
offer" (301) since compensation was nonexistent during agrarian warfare because it was a necessity
to fight to save the farm. The burden of battle shifted between the old regime, where the agrarian
community faced battle alone, and the new regime, where the burden was on the entire polis to fight
for each other's land (301). As generations continued, a new kind of self–interested Athenian hoplite
became prevalent due to their

The Elements Of Democracy In Ancient Sparta And Athens
According to Brand (2010) there were very different political models in ancient Sparta and Athens.
Indeed, he advises that Athens was a much more developed powerhouse, where today's democracy
initiated, whereby Sparta was, conversely, a fierce warmongering state where only male warriors
participated in politics. However, Brand also acknowledges elements of democracy in both city
states.
In the case of Sparta, the 'ecclesia', or the 'apella' were the eligible voting public (Larkin, n.d.) Only
Spartan free men of adulthood were able to vote, and adulthood was granted on the Spartan's 30th
birthday. Additionally, women, immigrants and 'unequals' such as Helots were ineligible to vote
(Brand, 2010.) In this instance we see the basic semblance of a voting public, but, as Brand (2010)
states, whilst the apella' met once a month to discuss issues, their scope of influence was severely
limited. The Spartan political model was a hierarchy of two kings (historically from two ancient
ruling families) whose balance was kept in check by three (later) five 'Ephors' who were elected
annually, and who kept the kings' power at a moderate level (Brand, 2010.) Beneath the Ephors
were the 'Gerousia'. According to Larkin (n.d.), "It consisted of 28 Gerontes (Senators... elders over
the age of 60) plus two kings. These elders were elected by the Assembly for life. The Gerousia
controlled much of the public business and decided on what the Assembly could debate. They could
also veto actions taken

Women Of Aspasia Of Miletus
Aspasia of Miletus, born during the 5th century BC, was renown for her outspoken ways and for
being the mistress of the statesman Pericles. The expectations of women throughout that century,
such as staying at home and serving their spouse, were adhered to by many. However, she defied
these expectations which thus resulted in gaining large controversy, yet respect from Athenian
citizens. Aspasia's intellect resulted in a minority of Athenian citizens holding her in high esteem. It
is said that "some Athenian men even brought their wives to her in hopes that they would gain some
insight and intellect from her words." Whilst Aspasia was revered as one of the most influential
women of Ancient Greece, especially during the 5th century BC, there were many women who were
left ignored due to their supposed lack of influence. These include women such as Gorgo of Sparta;
the mistress of the Spartan king named Leonidas, Sappho of Lesbos; a renown lyrical poet, Telesilla
of Argos; a poet, and multiple others.
Prior to her courtship with Pericles, Aspasia's influence had already transcended to a minority of the
population due to her position as a hetaera. She was an Athenian immigrant and her life before she
traveled to Athens is still being debated today. Several sources have suggested that Aspasia arrived
along with her older sister who later married Alcibiades, a man ostracised from Athens . During her
time in Athens, Aspasia was a hetaera–women who were hired as male

Dbq Essay On Rat Infestation
There have been more recent rat infestations over the years. In the articles (sources) numbers 1, 2,
and 3 they explain rat infestations exploding in several places. These are the three thing to look for
when their is a rat infestation where are they occurring, the dangers to humankind, and how to
eradicate them. First, rat infestations are occurring in places around the world. According to Source
1, John Davison explains, "Recent cold weather and flooding is believed to have led the disease–
carrying rodents to shelter indoors. And the situation is only going to get worse because of the
increase in the rat population thanks to a succession of milder winters, according to pest
controllers." This is explaining what causes this to happen to Britain. The bamboo seeds are causing
the rat population to go up (Gill,Source 2). This is revealing the fact that too many seeds are causing
the rats to come to Indian villages. In the article Jerry Falke stated, "Last fall was an exceptionally
wet season in this area of Texas," so that means rats are trying to escape the cold (Schattenberg,
Source 3). This is describing how again the cold weather is pushing rodents in houses in barns in
Texas. Weather is a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When rats carry diseases they become a great threat to other lives [dogs, cats, and humans]
(Davison, Source 1). This was seen when the Black Death wiped out 30–60% of Europe's
population during the late Middle Ages. In source 2, by Victoria Gill it states, "A once in a
generation, gigantic plague of rats, that ruins crops and leaves people starving." This is a that is a
danger because humans could starve to death without food. Rats are eating and destroying important
items in your house (Schattenberg, Source 3). This could be dangerous to us if they chew out a wire
and it sparks it could set the house up in flames. These are some dangers rat bring when thy

Socrates Punishment And Punishments
In most circumstances ending the life of a criminal as their punishment usually reflects the
magnitude of the crimes that they committed, crimes that often involve the deaths of others or
equally heinous actions, yet one historical example stands out for not following this rule. In 399 BC,
in Athens, Greece, two men put a meek philosopher named Socrates on trial for two crimes he
purportedly committed: not following state gods and corrupting the youth. These charges alleged
against Socrates reflected the general sentiment of Athenians regarding Socrates; namely that he
was an atheistic charlatan. The jury found Socrates guilty of these crimes and executed, a
punishment that does not logically befit the supposed crimes that he committed. No sane or logical
jury would find him guilty of such vague claims, especially in such a vehemently democratic polis
as Athens, and they would never have executed Socrates for such meager offenses, nonetheless he
was. Execution was especially unnecessary because Socrates himself was on the verge of death; he
was in his seventies in the Greek era, so he was bound to die soon anyways. The central focus, then,
is of understanding how on Earth the birthplace of democracy could have gone so awry and when
they tried, convicted, and executed Socrates. Athens sentenced Socrates to death because his beliefs
were against the flow of the changing Athenian ideological landscape, people regarded him as a
pompous, elitist charlatan who impugned their core

Pericles Funeral Oration Speech
When thinking of Athens, it is quite possible that the first thing you think of is something along the
lines of them having great success and an ideal lifestyle. Athens' stereotype is that it was the most
amazing place to live because of their successfulness in democracy and war.
This speech is called "Pericles' Funeral Oration" by Thucydides, and it was delivered by Pericles, an
Athenian politician, at a funeral for the war dead after the first year of the Peloponnesian War. In
this speech, Pericles basically boasts to the family and friends of these deceased warriors about how
amazing Athens is and how important the warriors were to them. He begins by saying that their
"constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states" to set them apart from any and every
other place that may be deemed as competition to Athens. One thing that he appears to be very
proud of is Athens' way of handling their democracy. It was not a common idea that every person
was able to participate in the city's politics, so Pericles makes sure to say that it "favours the many
instead of the few" when speaking of Athens' democracy. Their democracy is described to be an
incredible system in which each and every citizen of Athens gets a chance to participate regardless
of their social ranking or any other thing that may affect their relevance to society. Pericles says that
"if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his conditions" rather that
be low social standing

Hellenistic Miletus Research Paper
The Milesian system was structured originally on six tribes, but when they changed to a more
democratic system under Athenian influence they changed over to 12 tribes. It is highly probable
that they submitted their candidates for offices from these tribes. In order to become a citizen one
had to be enrolled in these tribes. Milesian territory was broken up into 5 or 7 demes or districts.
"The earliest officials mentioned in decrees of Hellenistic Miletus are the synedroi, whose status is
not clear. They have been considered as either a standing committee of the city council or as an ad
hoc commission created to deal with specific problems." cg p. 67 They worked with other city
officials and institutions and were possibly responsible to the assembly. In the third century there
were around 75 members, which was reduced down to 10 in the late second century. However, it is
hard to know how frequent and the dates that the assembly met, but it is probable that the assembly
met at least once a month. It is also probable that they held special sessions that dealt with matters
prescribed by the law along with the other Greece cities. It was also likely that they held the most
important ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Miletus started under the influence of Athens, but with time and the influence of Alcibiades and
Sparta, they promoted a revolt against Athens. Miletus came under the siege of Athens, but hid
behind their walls and over time Athens gave up. Sparta and Persia used Miletus as a base
throughout the war. However, there was some confusion of who was in control and attempts to
throw out these powers from Miletus. Sparta in 405 BC helped change Miletus back to an oligarchy,
but they also had some struggles. The Peace of Atalcidas in 386 BC ended the independence of Asia
Minor, but they continued to use their constitution they had previously

Athenian Democracy
The Athenian democracy of Greece was the first established democracy that lasted for around 186
years. It was a strong system of government up until its fall. Being in the largest city of Athens
where there was a large amount of diversity many types of people were able to serve as council men
or judges. Though there was a large amount of diversity women were still not able to serve or have a
say in what was done during council meetings. Because of the large amount of diversity in the
council the wealthy and upper–class people became jealous of the lower classes and did not want
them to dictate what happened in their own houses. So, their want for power and wealth came to be
the reason that the Athenian democracy fell. With this striving for power came a larger distinction of
division between all of the classes. Democracy in modern terms is "a system of government by the
whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives."
This common definition differs in a few ways to that of Athenian democracy. For example, today
the law comes before the person. Meaning that the law is upheld no matter who it is or the
circumstances under which a person committed an offense. In Athens the people came before the
law. Who the person was and why they did what they did was though of before a decision on their
guilt and punishment was conceived. Another example is the focus on one ruler versus many. In
today's democracy people are under the

Comparing The Roles Of Women During Athens And Sparta
Planning Investigation:
This investigation will answer the question "What were the differences and similarities of the roles
of women in Athens and Sparta?" This question is relevant due to the fact that the role of women
and how they were treated back then are very different than today and we've come a long way since
then in terms of women's rights. It's also important to see the drastic differences between the roles of
women from one Greek city to another. The issues that will be addressed are their treatment and
roles within societies and how they differ from the Greek towns Athens and Sparta. The places
investigated will include Athens and Sparta. This will be accomplished through an examination of
books, websites, and academic journals.
Word count: 123
Source Evaluation:
The origin of this source is an essay, titled "Athenian vs. Spartan Women in Antigone's Era" that
was written by Professor Eric Hibbison at J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College in 2002. It's a
secondary source. Its purpose is to inform people and better educate his students and others through
his writing so people would be more informed. A value of this is that it gives the perspective of
being a fairly newer text which means it has more new information. It also has a balanced view on
who, between Athenian and Spartan women, were treated better or worse. However, there were
some limitations too. A lot of the sources were websites with only a handful of book cites, making it
rely on other authors and

The Plague of Athens Essay
The plague of Athens
The Athenian plague was an epidemic that began in the summer of 430 B.C. in Athens–a year after
the Peloponnesian war in 431 B.C. It was supposed that the plague was a result of excess number of
Athenians within the city walls also known as the long walls–a military strategy by Pericles which
consisted of building walls that connected the city to its port . The surplus of Athenians led to a
shortage of food, water, an absence of sewage systems, and other important factors were said to
have brought about the plague. It first appeared in the south of Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and later on
in the Persian Empire, and Rome before arriving in Athens . The disease attacked the population of
Piraeus and then travelled to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It left the population time to live in crime as they awaited death. The once valued Athenian morals
also ceased to existed in that period. The population did not bother to accomplish any of the morally
accepted laws. Meaning that since no one would ever be there to acknowledge it or they could ever
gain benefits for it, it was normal for some not to complete any. For them, it was considered a waste
of time to be morally just because they all would perish. The epidemic left the Athenians incapable
of caring for their families who were infected. In Thucydides' eyes, the most immoral act of all was
the fact that they were left to die by loved ones. The plague was highly contagious; the infected
showed signs of "ineffectual retching followed, producing violent spasms, [...]externally the body
was not very hot to the touch, nor pale in its appearance, but reddish, livid, and [breaking] out into
small pustules and ulcers. But internally it burned so that the patient could not bear to have on him
clothing [...]". Due to their symptoms, family members forgot all about their traditionnal obligations
and abandoned their families and friends. They basically abandoned all of there loved ones since
they were potential threats to their lives. Hence, they could only survive if they had no contact with
their loved ones or friends. The dead and infected were therefore voluntarily neglected by their
families. Consequently, the bodies

The Benefits Of The Athenian Democracy
The athenian democracy started to develop after the Persian War. Under Particle's rule, Athens
economy thrived and the government became more democratic. Not all Athens citizen agree about
the idea of democracy. There also people who supported democracy, because they think it will help
free the citizens from the rule of tyrants and long. To make Athens democracy stronger they have to
bring people together. First, Athenian democracy should be about every citizen and how they should
take part in Athens democracy. For example, many people who are part of Athenian democracy are
the ones who owned parts of the land. "The word democracy had not yet been invented, the
foundations has been laid" (D#7). This shows that, only the rich are part of the Athenian democracy
and not all the poor citizens were part of Athenian democracy. Many of the poor citizens didn't
receive the rights they deserved. In conclusion, not all of the citizens of Athen were a part of the
Athenian democracy. Second, Athens democracy is about how no one should be above the law. For
example, if you commit a crime, then you should get the punishment for your crime. "... required to
pay the penalty: He had to settle his private affairs within ten days and to depart from the city for ten
years" (D#6). This shows that, the government is trying to maintain order by punishing people who
commit a crime without a look at who they are. There are consequence for their actions. In
conclusion, by maintaining

Book Review: Courtesans and Fishcakes
Courtesans and Fishcakes written by James Davidson explore the ancient Greek culture of the
Athenians and elaborate on not only the desire for sex, but the appetites of life. Author James
Davidson is a professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of
Warwick. In his biography, it says that he is a regular contributor to the London Review of Book
and the author of the award winning The Greeks and Greek Love. Courtesans and Fishcakes is
divided into four parts: Feasts, Desire, The Citizen, and The City. Within each part of the book, there
are multiple sub–sections that go into depth about the particular section of each 'chapter'. In Part I:
Feasts, Davidson goes into some background of the ancient Greek ... Show more content on
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Personally, I think this is brilliant insight to the Athenian culture. It makes sense to watch and
monitor the behaviors of the people around you because their everyday manners and behaviors are
distinct indicators to how they live the rest of their life outside of the 'feasts'. As Davidson explains
it, "... Ancient texts do more than inform us about Ancient desires. They do more than provide us
with samples of the ancient discourse of desires." The next topic that Davidson nicely delivers the
reader insight to is the act of drinking. He states, "One drinks while one eats and one always eats
with others; a narrow sociality oversees the pleasures of food..." I had to carefully read and re–read
this paragraph to understand the brilliant meaning behind it. As I continued reading, I began to
understand that the act of drinking wine has always been one to socialize. It was to strike up
conversation and this quote means exactly that, with those who eat, drink, and become social. Once
again, I think this a perfect quote to support Davidson's argument because it emphasizes that
drinking was a social act. This also means that anything else besides being social while drinking was
a direct indicator that one might have little self–control and be a threat to the democracy. Davidson
says, "... words join water in diluting the wine whose proper role is to facilitate conversation." This
is to emphasize that when this does not

Fate 's Punishment For Athens
Fate's Punishment for Athens The Landmark Thucydides is a history book on the Peloponnesian
War written by an Athenian historian and general named Thucydides. Throughout the book,
Thucydides recounts the war and tells of the many actions of his mother land Athens. In several of
his descriptions Athens could be viewed as arrogant especially towards their accomplishments in
war. He also tells of a terrible crime that Athens commits that could be described as genocide.
Thucydides also describes several simpleminded mistakes that were made that crippled Athens in
the end and could have been prevented with more through thinking. Despite being powerful and
dominant on the battlefield the Athenians suffer crippling defeat in the end. The arrogance, cruelty,
and foolishness that Athens displayed brought fate down on Athens and caused their defeat in the
Peloponnesian War. Athens displayed their arrogance multiple times throughout the war. During a
battle at Pylos Sparta attempted to make peace with Athens through a truce. When offered the truce,
Athens rejects it thinking that "The treaty would be ready for them whenever they chose to make it".
(Landmark Thucydides. Book 4; 4.21, Pg.425). Athens had the audacity to think that Sparta would
just wait for them to decide when they were done fighting which made them seem obnoxiously
proud. Another time where Athens shows how arrogant they are occurs before the conference with
the colony of Melos. Thucydides talks of the colony

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

Sparta 's Dependence On Persian Money
Sparta's dependence on Persian money in the last years of the war reflects another consequence of
this alliance. At the onset of the Peloponnesian War, Sparta positioned itself as the liberators of
Greece. They justified their aggression by claiming their primary objective was to free those living
under Athenian tyranny. Thucydides claims most Greeks hoped for a Spartan victory,
Men's feelings inclined much more to the Spartans, especially as they proclaimed themselves the
liberators of Hellas. No private or public effort that could help them in speech or action was
omitted; each thinking that the cause suffered wherever he could not himself see it. So general was
the indignation felt against Athens, whether by those who wished to escape from her empire or were
apprehensive of being absorbed by it.
After Athens' defeat at Syracuse in 413, the pro–Sparta sentiment intensified. Previously neutral
cities joined the Peloponnesians, and Sparta's allies contributed heavily in ships and money in hopes
of ending the war quickly. However, because Persian support inevitably also meant the
abandonment of Ionian Greeks to the empire, the alliance with the Asian king destroyed this
goodwill and reduced the willingness of their allies to contribute to the war effort.
The first official treaty, signed in the summer of 412, favored the Persians to a laughable degree.
The pact required Sparta to recognize all territory held by Darius' ancestors as under Persian control.
In addition to

Compare And Contrast Athens And Athenian Democracy
Athens and Sparta were two powerful city–states, different from each other where Athenian
democracy focused on economic advancement, while Sparta oligarchy focused on military force.
Democracy is a system of government where citizens have the right to vote, whereas oligarchy is a
system of government where only a group of people is in control and only their opinion or decision
that were taken into consideration. Leading to the thesis statement that people are better served by
Athenian democracy than the Spartan oligarchy, supported in three evidence points. Firstly,
Athenian democracy allowed citizens participation in government that gave them freedom to vote
and take part in legislation. Secondly, the Athenian government provided Athenian men better
education, by being taught how to read and write to reach their academic advancement. Lastly, the
Athenian democracy's contribution to Athens military advancement that protected its citizens.
The Athenian citizen had a further contribution to the government than Spartans citizens. The
Athenian government allowed its citizens to take part in government positions, aside from military
positions, as it stated on a textbook, Echoes from the Past that "Every citizen had an equal chance to
hold public office"(Newman, Echoes from the Past, page132). Which signifies that being in the
government position means having the capability to rule and not wealth. In the Athenian democracy,
each council member and government officials had an

Rhetoric Of Pericles Funeral Oration
Pericles' Funeral Oration Analysis Pericles, as we know, was an exceeding leader and statesmen for
most of Athen's reign during the 5th century B.C.E. He was an extremely successful man, and well
rounded in many aspects of Athenian leadership. He wasn't just a statesman for Athens, he was a
persuasive politician, glorified military leader, and filled with boastful patriotism towards Athens. It
was common ritual for speeches to be given to the survived families of the fallen after war, but
Pericles take on the speech was a little different than the ordinary. Pericles focused greatly on the
significance of a democratic government. His goal was to raise the spirits of the fallen soldiers
families', and build patriotism in their hearts to get them motivated to fight for their freedom in
Athens. Pericles was a very persuasive speaker, and his Funeral Oration speech was indeed
successful in its mission: convince the people that the fallen soldiers shouldn't be mourned, but
rather raise their patriotism and to follow in the footsteps of the fallen, and to fight for their honor,
freedom, and democracy as a whole. Pericles' speech was not a lie, but rather a persuasive and
manipulative speech to capture the fallen spirits during a tough time of war. The speech wins the
people in the crowd over with a sense of pride over Athens. Their democratic republic was a unique
government for their time, and Pericles takes advantage of his words by proclaiming, "Our
constitution does not copy the laws of neighbouring states; we are rather a pattern to others than
imitators ourselves." This statement reminds the people of Athens that their community is different
than the surrounding nations, and that they should be proud of where they have gotten. A hint of
direction comes into play, though, when Pericles goes on to say, "If we look to the laws, they afford
equal justice to all in their private differences...nor again does poverty bar the way, if a man is able
to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition." Comparing this statement to
the laws of the Spartans, it increases even further the sense of patriotism that Pericles is trying to
raise within the crowd. With the Spartans government being very

Difference Between Athens And Sparta
Athens and Sparta are two interesting city–states in ancient Greece where someone could choose to
live depending on the inclination of the individual. Some individuals might choose to live in Athens
because of the system of government and developmental philosophy while other individuals could
choose to live in Sparta because of its military and warrior–like philosophy.
In Athens, there is an element of respect for the will of the people, which is known as a democratic
system of choosing leaders (Ancient Greek Democracy, 2010) while Sparta had a different way of
life (Oligarchy) and create incentives for citizens, even outsiders to love its system. For instance,
aristocrats in the city–state of Athens really appreciate the Spartan system where ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
First and foremost, I like a society where knowledge is regarded as the ultimate; a society that
breeds intellectuals and promote philosophical dialogue. Athens happens to be that place (Brand,
n.d.). Secondly, absolute independence runs in my vein and in Athens that is what they had in place;
independence to determine who governs the society at any given period. Although the Athenian
democracy was not as advanced compared to what we have in these modern times, however, the
system helped to shape our modern worldview in one way or the other (Cartledge, 2011). While
critics of the Athenian democracy would argue that aristocrats were often imposing their
manipulative agenda on the government, I would acknowledge that fact to be a part of democracy
even in the 21st century where some powerful people can twist their agenda on a government. A
typical example is the National Rifle Association (NRA), who would not let any government or
elected official dare discuss any amendment in firearms regulation (McGreal, 2015). What is
apparent about democracy is that it enables a society to participate in the government formation.
That is why Athens would be my livable

Why It Is Important To Greek Art Essay
Excuse me, my friends for bringing up this topic at such a busy time, but I feel like this a topic that
must be addressed. For many years, Athens was the place for culture. Lycon, you remember those
days where you would throw those fantastic parties! Meletus' father was a playwright. Look where
it brought them. To this assembly. My fellow Athenians, we must support the arts in order to
become the center–place for Greek culture, and so we do not become idiots like our neighbors, the
Spartans. Those in poverty need entertainment. Let's walk through the life of a poor person. First,
they get up in the morning, usually very early, and start to head off for their workplace. At their
workplace, they toil and toil away until it is time to go home. ... Show more content on
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Imagine a paved road, going straight across the world until it reaches the end of the earth and falls
off. There is only one way to go. A person who follows this way will become a follower, and will
not be able to make decisions, and will eventually reach the end of the earth and fall off, his voice
never to be heard from again. Now, imagine that the road has many branching pathways, one
leading to righteousness, one leading to justice, one leading to a naked man taking a shower. These
are all choices that we can make. When a person appreciates music, their mind is opened up so that
they can make decisions that are more thought out. Take Crito for example. As a follower of
Socrates, and rich man, you must have some musical training. He used his musical training to
develop a new way of eating pork skins! Instead of getting his hands dirty with, he used a piece of
paper to grab his pork skin and eat it! However, on a serious note, if music is supported, then we
will have many people in our assembly who do have different views, and who do think their ideas
out before presenting them. That, in turn, will lead to a fairer democracy, for we will have more
ideas that are of the

Greek Unity In The Early 5th Century BC
In this essay I will show that Greek unity was barely present in the early 5th century BC, and that
the poleis involved in either the Ionian revolt(499–494BC) or the Persian invasion of Greece(480–
479BC) were acting largely in their own self–interest. Herodotus in particular overly emphasises the
degree to which the Greeks were concerned about liberty in regard to Persian rule, and the extent of
any common Greek identity between the cities. For many cities, the reality was that they were
massively under–equipped to deal with meeting the Persian army in battle. Thessaly was placed
directly in the path of the land army which was marching to the south, their stated aim being
revenge on Athens, and could not hope for victory against them. The words of the men sent to ask
for aid are revealing: "you cannot compel us to fight your battle for you", suggesting that the
Thessalians believed Athens was the cause, and that they did not feel any sense of kinship or unity
with them. Clearly the Thessalians sought to protect their own interests, for if there was any notion
of unity involved, surely the Thessalians would have stood and fought rather than allowing the
Persians to progress unimpeded. Other cities presumably felt the same way, for example, the leading
families in Thebes are depicted as giving advice to the Persians. Yet others have had their reputation
tarred in the Athenian effort to boost their own prestige. Corinthian sailors supposedly fled Salamis,
and the troops at

Research Paper On Solon
Solon
Solon was a philosopher and poet. There were not very many things about Solon. However, he
sounded like a curious person to write on. In doing this research, Solon had a very interesting life
during his eighty years and helped change the Athenian government in many ways. Solon was born
638B.C. in Athens, Greece. He died in 558 B.C. in Cyprus. He was mostly known as an Athenian
statesman, a law reformer, and a really talented poet. He became somewhat of a mythical founding
father figure that had set Athens on their path of glory during the Classical period. 1 He helped lay
the groundwork for the Athenian democracy, helping lower–class citizens rise up in political areas.
Most of his poems that he was credited for are just fragments now, but, they were very thought–
provoking poems. Solon and his family belonged to a noble clan. There is not much information
available about Solon's family. What is known is that his family was a very small one. They came
from moderate wealth, although their lineage could possibly be traced back to the last King of
Athens. His father's name was Execestides. Not much is known about his mother. Solon only had
one brother, no other siblings. His brother's name was Dropides, who was an ancestor (six
generations removed) of Plato2. When ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He was the first citizen of Athens to reference the goddess Athena.9 Solon's verses are mainly
significant for his personal records of his reforms and attitudes.10 Only fragments remain of his
poetry and writing, but they total about 280 verses. He had some really good poetry. Most of his
poems were written with a strong sense of fairness. It is possible that Solon backed up this poetic
bravado with true valor on the battlefield.11 When Solon was fighting in wars with his army, he had
written many poems. Some of these poems were used to encourage his troops to fight well. For
Solon, it gave him strength to fight, and courage that they could win the war with

Greece's Victory In The Greco-Persian War
Victory is not achieved unless there is the desire for success, compromise, and occasional conflict.
In the David versus Goliath scenario, the Greeks as the underdog, defeated the Persians due to their
support, heroic action and Unity. For support, the Greeks relied on the words of Apollo to guide
them, but the he did not always act encouragingly. The Persian Wars put the Greeks in the difficult
position of having to defend their country against a vast empire with an army that greatly
outnumbered their own. The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Persian Wars due to heroic actions
performed by Athens and Sparta and occasional assistance from the gods. The threat of the Persian
Empire's expansion into Greece and the imminent possibility that ... Show more content on
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This alarmed the Greeks, so they joined and took a chance with their lives keeping in mind the end
goal to protect the one thing they all have in common, their Greek culture. Amazing Bible Timeline
stated, "the Persians had come to power under King Cyrus the Great, and they had conquered many
kingdoms, empires, and city–states. The reach of the Persian Empire spread far and wide across the
ancient world. They conquered territories in the east as far as India and conquered lands in the west
that stretched all the way to Egypt. In the time of their conquest and expansion the Persians wanted
to conquer the Greeks" ("Greek and Persian Wars"). The Persians were getting close to Greek
territory and Athens and Sparta needed to find a common ground so they could be productive and
defeat Persia.The Greeks united together to keep their culture alive. They wanted to make sure the
Persians were stopped from gaining to much land or else they would be a higher power. All in all,
the greek city states compromised to find a war tactic that could defeat Persia, this is one of the
compromises they had to make because they all had to have one plan if they wanted to beat

The Wasps Analysis
The Wasps is a satirical comedy written in 422 BCE by Aristophanes as the Peloponnesian War was
coming to an end. The playwright's purpose for writing this is to mock the Athenian society at the
time. Because Athens also became a democracy during the 5th century, this comedy is particularly
controversial since during the time it was written, the courts were being severely manipulated and
corrupted by Cleon. In addition to this, there various other conflicts that take place during the time
that this was written. The plot centers around the protagonist Philocleon and his antagonist
Misocleon and uses the popular Athenian democratic ideology to point out its very own flaws. The
playwright criticizes both the judicial conflicts, which is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
In relation to the metaphor of wasps, the text refers to the house as being netted. It seems that there
is only one door in the home giving it a sense of a dungeon–like dwelling. Misocleon sleeps on the
roof and is presumably guarding it in the instance that his father tries to escape from there rather
than the door he is aware of being blocked off. The well–intentioned Misocleon, tries to deter his
father from his usual routine of going to the courts to sit on the jury for less than a livable wage.
Although his plan is doomed to fail, he still attempts to save his father from his job as a wage slave
who has unknowingly pledged his allegiance to Cleon, the demagogue. Although Philocleon does
escape from his son's poorly thought out trap, Misocleon does not accept defeat but rather attempts
to reason with his father. The father's willingness to at least debate the issue shows that he is a fair
man and is willing to hear what others have to say. Based on their discussion, the reader can see an
obvious gap in generational understanding of the litigious Athenian democracy. Philocleon is
illusioned by his petty wages and is obsessed with the praise of others and the benefit that come
along with his position such as the affection of his own daughter (600–5). However, Misocleon fires
back at his partisan father explaining that when he takes into account all of the taxes, then the
income that he is so prided in, is nothing but 1/10th of what the city makes. (650–5). He

A Comparison Of Cimon 's Exile And Return ( Plutarch 136 )
Cimon was an Athenian military general living in the 6th and 5th century BCE. He was the son of
Miltiades and Hegesipyle which made him very well known (Plutarch 120). Throughout his life, he
lead many successful military missions as well as some unsuccessful. Cimon had a slight mishap
when he advocated that there should be more cooperation between Athens and Sparta– two rival
states. As a result, he was ostracised from Athens for 10 years beginning in 461BC. Cimon
eventually returned to Athens around 451BC when he started rebuilding the state. However, what
often goes unnoticed is the effect Cimon had on creating democracy in Athens.
The main action that influenced democracy in Athens was Cimon's exile and return (Plutarch 136).
By all means being exiled did not make him a popular man; however, when he returned he gradually
regained popularity by working hard for it. He returned at a lower level of power than he originally
was which lead to his hard work and eventual death in battle. For these reasons, its obvious that
Cimon had an effect on democracy in Athens. Because of his effort to regain popularity by hard
working, Cimon proved that he could be a political leader; however, would never be appointed due
to the fact that it was not democratic. The citizens of Athens regained Cimon's respect and would
have likely voted him in power if there had been the opportunity. In that sense, Cimon influenced
democracy in Athens because the people realized there are better people

The Negative Influence Of Greek Civilization
The Greeks do experience some positive changes after the Persian War. One of these changes
includes how they view themselves as a civilization. They undoubtedly feel immense pride because
they beat the massive Persian empire. Greeks experience a newfound sense of unity and
togetherness. Unlike before, people consider the settlements on the Ionian coast to be truly Greek
and not simply distant relatives. Also, the Greeks are no longer separated by their city–states. They
all worked together to defeat a common enemy. In addition to the positive influences of the war, the
Greeks face some negative changes to their civilization. An issue that causes much strife within the
Greek people is the fear that the war created. Greeks feel that

Ancient Greek Philosophy -Paper
Lovers of Wisdom
Ancient Greek philosophy arouse in the 6th century BCE, some claim that Greek
Philosophy was influenced by the older wisdom literature and mythological cosmogonies of the
Ancient Greek Near East. Greeks had confidence in the power of the mind Greeks used observation
and reason to determine why things happened, they opened up a new way of looking at human
existence. During the time of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle it was a crime to investigate the things
above the heavens and below the Earth. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were well known
philosophers. Their research contributed to modern science and the development of
Western political thought.
Socrates, born in 5th century BCE, makes a watershed in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Plato like Socrates believed that reason not the experience of the sense led to genuine knowledge.
He also believed in the quality of all people at birth. Plato believed that though the body dies and
disintegrates; the soul continues to live forever. After the death of the body, the soul migrates to
what Plato called the realm of the pure forms. It exists without a body, contemplating the forms.
Plato thought that only the soul could perceive the ideal forms. He believed when the body and the
soul combine, the body obstructs the soul 's ability to recall the ideal forms. He maintained that he
could ride only a high in society as their abilities allow. His society was divided into three: workers
to produce the necessities of life, soldiers to defend the state and philosophers to rule. There is no
direct information of how Plato 's came to death. There are three stories of how he died one is Plato
died in his bed. Another is Plato died at a wedding feast the last one suggest Plato died in his sleep.
Aristotle was Plato's student from the Academy. He later developed his own ideas about government
Aristotle analyzes form of government such as monarchy and democracy. Just as
Plato he preferred government by the many then the few. He then favored a constitutional
government by members of the middle class. He called it the "polity". A constitution is a set of laws
that a set of people have made and

Athenian Democracy Vs. Oligarchy Of Sparta?
Were the people better served by the democracy in Athens or the oligarchy of Sparta? Stephanie M.
Athens and Sparta are two powerful city–states, different from each other in such way that
Athenian democracy focuses on economic advancement, while Sparta oligarchy focuses on military
force. Democracy is a system of government where the citizens have the right to vote, whereas the
oligarchy is when a group of people is in control of the government and it's only their opinion and
decision that are taken to consideration. Implicating the thesis that people are better served by
Athenian democracy than the Spartan oligarchy, which is supported by three evidence points.
Firstly, the Athenian citizen's participation in government, by voting and taking part in the
government position.Secondly, the Athenian men are provided with better education by being taught
how to read and write, not only focused on military training. Lastly, the Athens advancement in
military protection for the safety of its citizens.
Athenian citizen makes more contribution to government rather than Spartans. The Athenian
government allows citizen to be a member of the government except for the military position, as its
stated on an article that " each citizen can be voted for each legislation"(Echos in the past, page,
print). Which signify that being in the government position means having the capability and not the
wealth. In the athenian

Similarities Between Ancient Egypt And Ancient Athens
A Comparison of Societies in Ancient Egypt and Periclean Athens
Midterm Essay Maureen Cairns
In comparing and contrasting the societies of Periclean Athens and ancient Egypt, we must first
mention some of the characteristics of an actual society: a society has a stable food supply, social
levels and classes, specialization of labor, a system of government, and a highly developed culture.
Both the societies of ancient Athens and Egypt fit into these parameters. In this essay we will
explore social classes, gender relations, social inequality, and hierarchy as they apply to these
societies. Both ancient Athens and Egypt adhered to a strict hierarchical framework, ranking people
as superiors or inferiors. Old Kingdom Egyptian hierarchy is described as having the king and queen
at the top, with priests, administrators, governors and army commanders coming second, then the
commoners who worked mostly in agriculture, and finally, slaves, who had been captured in war.
(Hunt, pg. 22). According to Esolen, (pg. 35), Egyptian society was structured as such: the Pharaoh
came first, and was believed to be God on earth. Next came the "Vizier", who was the pharaohs
chief advisor. Nobles were next in the hierarchy, responsible for making local laws. Priests came
next, and were responsible for performing rituals and ceremonies. Scribes were a very important
group, as they were the only ones who could read or write, so they were the record keepers. A small
percentage

Anna Komnene's The Alexiad
The Alexiad is one of the most famous documents of Byzantine texts written by princess Anna
Komnene the daughter of Alexios I. She describes the events in the eyes of the Byzantines, making
the source, to an extent, biased towards her father. It is a rich account providing a unique view of a
key period in in the history of Byzantium and Europe. The book documents one of the most active
periods in the High Middle Ages politically and militarily and its influence on religion. Komnene
beings the book with an in–depth description of her father. In the book she compares the wars and
feats her father faces to be worthy of Herakles (Hercules) because he is a "heroic m[a]n". Her
allusions to Greek mythology give the source an epic framework to ... Show more content on
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Uniquely, her account does not delve into the reforms of society, economy, or power but rather
discusses Alexios' military campaigns he leads with and against the Byzantine neighbors.
Throughout the book, Komnene chronicles the wars and the different groups Alexios battles. In
Book I, Komnene addresses Alexios becoming general in the army and the preparations for war
against the Normans; the Normans had led a military campaign against the Byzantines under the
consent of Pope Gregory VII to conquer lands and power for the Catholic Church. The battle
pursued for years, eventually the Normans being led by Robert's son Bohemond. When he besieged
the city, the Byzantines resisted and Bohemond was forced to abandon the campaign and sign a
peace treaty. During the First Crusade, Anna Komnene refers to the Celts, Latins, and Normans as
uneducated barbarians and heretics. At the time, Alexios was emperor and saw the "evil was
corrupting many souls" and being a strong Christian leader he had to counteract the heresy. The
First Crusade was complex; it was not a just a Holy War between the Roman Catholic Church and
the Caliphate, but an evolution of religion in Byzantium. The church split: Greek orthodox in the
east and the Latin orthodox church in the west. The goal of the Crusade was to repel the barbarians
and take back the Holy Land that was stolen from the Muslim forces. This was significant as it
illustrates

Pericles’ Funeral Oration: Athenian Exceptionalism Essay
The first year of fighting between Athens and Sparta is drawing to a close. As is customary during
war, Athens holds a public funeral to both celebrate and mourn their fallen soldiers. Such
ceremonies typically featured an oration given by a respected Athenian – with this year's coming
from renowned statesmen Pericles. Previous orations had focused on celebrating the Athenian
military by recounting their trials and accomplishments. Pericles decided to depart from this
convention, believing it was no longer novel, nor necessary, "That part of our history which tells of
the military achievements which gave us our several possessions, or of the ready valor with which
either we or our fathers stemmed the tide of Hellenic or foreign ... Show more content on
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Pericles takes time to laud democracy as a form of government. He believes the division of political
power equally amongst citizens inevitably leads to laws that benefit the Athenian people as a whole.
This in turn increase overall equality, and by extension, social mobility. Such a government is a just
government in the eyes of Pericles, and thus, a shining example of Athenian superiority. "[Athens']
administration favors the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy. If we look to
the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences; if no social standing,
advancement in public life falls to reputation for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to
interfere with merit; nor again does poverty bar the way, if a man is able to serve the state, he is not
hindered by the obscurity of his condition." (2.37.1).
Though a democratic government is great in theory, without educated and capable voters it's
potentially inefficient and incompetent. However, Athenian democracy thrives due to an informed
public. Accordingly, so does the society it governs. "Our public men have, besides politics, their
private affairs to attend to, and our ordinary citizens, though occupied with the pursuits of industry,
are still fair judges of public matters; for, unlike any other nation, regarding him who takes no part
in these duties not as unambitious but as useless, we Athenians are able to judge at all events if we
cannot

Rhetorical Analysis : The Death Of The Mytilenians
During the Polynesian War, Mytilene attempted an unsuccessful revolt against Athens. Initially, it is
decided that the males of Mytilene were to be put to death while the women and children were to be
enslaved. However, the following day another debate was held to determine whether death was too
harsh of a punishment. In their attempt to persuade their audience of fellow Athenians to spare the
rebels of Mytilene or follow through with the first course of action, Speaker 3, who argues in favor
of sparing the rebels, heavily relies on logos and pathos. Meanwhile, Speaker 6 utilizes ethos while
exhibiting a passionate tone to argue for the death of the Mytilenians. To begin with, Speaker 3
employs logos and pathos in his quest to argue in favor of sparing the Mytilenians. He begins by
reminding the people of Athens that they are a merciful people and that every empire that has ever
ruled with brute force has fallen. This is a perfect use of logos because it goes without saying that no
empire, especially one with such a profound presence and reputation such as Athens, wants to play a
leading hand in their own demise. So, it is implied that if they want to continue being a reputable
empire, they must rule with grace, dignity, and most importantly, mercy. In addition to logos,
Speaker 3 also explores pathos. Besides the feelings of the rebels who face the possibility of death,
the Speaker argues in consideration of the soldiers who must commit the horrendous act. "They [the
soldiers of Athens] will be emotionally scarred". From this point of view, the audience is forced to
consider mercy for the soldiers as well. What happens their mental psyche once they are forced to
commit this act? Will they be able to go into battle with other enemies without having to deal with
the guilt weighing heavy on their hearts of the people who were practically their brethren's? Speaker
3 does an excellent job of getting the audience to consider mercy for the Mytilenians and the
soldiers of Athens. A criticism that I have to offer to Speaker 3 is instead of just mentioning that
there are alternate solutions to killing the rebels, actually giving the audience a few of those
alternatives. This would have proven to be

Democracy And Athenian Democracy
"Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the
whole people." (Dale. Civilizations in History. Alternative Two. Pg. 92) This quotation perfectly
summarizes Athenian democracy, a system in which all citizens had a say in affecting their daily
lives. This is a contrast to Spartan oligarchy, which limited power to a small group of men. Athenian
democracy encouraged citizens to use their voice and consequently make an impact on their society.
The government included more people's opinions, gave Athenians a more lavish lifestyle and
offered more freedom within the education system. This essay will prove that Athenian democracy
left Athens a more open civilization, which therefore better ... Show more content on
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Since Athenians could help make decisions, they were more pleased with the outcome. Also, with a
more diverse range of men voting, they were able to use the opinions of different classes, instead of
strictly aristocrats who used to hold all the power and still did in Sparta. Undoubtedly, with the
power Athenian democracy gave to its people, they were better served.
Since Athenian citizens had the power to impact their government, their values were displayed in
the decisions that were made. Athens enjoyed spreading their culture to different places, learning
from others, and trading for expensive items, which is shown by this excerpt. "Then the greatness of
our city brings it about that all the good things from all over the world flow into us, so that to us it
seems just as natural to enjoy foreign goods as our own local products..." (Dale. Civilizations in
History. Alternative Two. Pg. 92) Athens was a nation that was willing to adapt, whereas Sparta did
not want to change whatsoever, which is clearly presented by this quotation. "They were suspicious
of anything foreign, including trade, and they resisted change of any kind." (Dale. Civilizations in
History. Alternative One.) Sparta was solely focused on their military, and due to it being the basis
of their society, they did not want to put it at risk. So, they kept to themselves. On the other hand,
Athens wanted to experience different cultures,

How Did The Spartans Confront The Persians

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How Did The Spartans Confront The Persians