Who ruled Athens?
Athens did not have a king, it was ruled by the people as a democracy. The people of Athens believed that no one group of people should make the laws and so citizens could choose the government officials, and vote for or against new laws. The people of Athens chose their ruler.
What made Athens great?
Athens was the largest and most influential of the Greek city-states. It had many fine buildings and was named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare. The Athenians invented democracy, a new type of government where every citizen could vote on important issues, such as whether or not to declare war.
How was life in Athens?
The daily life of a Athenian during the 5th and 4th century bc. is different from our daily life. Life of an Athenian was made up of trading goods, buying- selling food and other products etc.. People who lived outside the city lived of fishing and hunting. They also worked on the fields.
What did Athens focus on?
Athens focused more on culture, while Sparta focused more on war. The oligarchy structure in Sparta enabled it to keep war as a top priority. The Athenian democratic government gave the citizens in Greece more freedom.
What did Athens Value?
The Athenians valued education and the arts and believed that educated people made the best citizens.
Did Athens have slaves?
Slavery was common in antiquity, and the Athenians used thousands of slaves in their private homes, factories, and mines, and also as civil servants. Slaves were usually captured in war and came from all over the Mediterranean, including other Greek cities.
How were slaves in Athens treated?
Slaves in Athens often worked with free citizens, although they were not paid. They could also live outside their master’s home. It seems that most slaves in Athens worked in their master’s households and were treated fairly. Most female slaves in Athens did things like bake bread, cook, and weave.
How were slaves in Sparta different from slaves in Athens?
Slaves in Sparta were owned by private citizens, whereas in Athens they were owned by the state. Slaves in Sparta were owned by the state, whereas in Athens they were owned by private citizens. Slaves in Sparta were allowed to own property, while slaves in Athens were not.
What did the slaves do in Sparta?
Slaves in Sparta worked on their lands and produced agricultural products for their masters. They lived in their home country and did not have to work at the homes of their masters. In times of an emergency, the slaves had to serve as light-armed troops.
Who did Sparta enslave?
Helot, a state-owned serf of the ancient Spartans. The ethnic origin of helots is uncertain, but they were probably the original inhabitants of Laconia (the area around the Spartan capital) who were reduced to servility after the conquest of their land by the numerically fewer Dorians.