Education in Greece• For the most part, only the sons of wealthy
families received educational opportunities.
• Schooling began around age 7
• Studied: – Reading, grammar, poetry, history, public speaking,
mathematics and music
• Athletic training everyday
• When boys got older, they went to military school.
• Mandatory duty of all male citizens
– They had to spend time in the military in order to have an active military ready to protect Athens
• Athenian girls did not go to school.
• They were educated at home by their mothers and other female members of the household.
– Learned about: raising children, weaving cloth, preparing meals, and skills that helped them become good wives.
SpartaSparta was pretty much cut off from the rest of Greece.
– Located in the southern part of Greece known as the Peloponnesus
Instead of a Democratic state like Athens, Sparta built a military state.
• Sparta’s government had several branches.
• An assembly which was composed of all Spartan citizens– Two military Kings
– The Council of Elders = 30 older citizens• Proposed laws on which the assembly voted
– Five elected officials carried out the laws• These men controlled education and prosecuted court
cases
Sparta’s social statuses
• 1: Citizens that descended from the original inhabitants
• 2: Free non-citizens – Manual labor
• The Helots– Slaves – Captured during war
• From 600 – 371 B.C., Sparta had the most powerful army in Greece.
• Devoted all resources to strengthen their military – Did not value art or literature
• Spartans valued duty, strength, and discipline
• In Sparta, men were expected to serve in the military until they were 60 years old!
• Boys left home at age 7 and moved into army barracks.
• They stayed in the barracks until age 30.
• They spent their days marching, exercising, and training.
• The Spartan girls also lived hardy lives.
• Received some military training.
– Were forced to stay athletic in case they were required to fight.
• During the Dorian age, the manufacturing of military weapons went under a transformation. Iron – The Iron Age
• Iron was harder than bronze
• Iron was cheaper to make than bronze.
• This means armies had MORE weapons.
The Phalanx
• The Phalanx was a fighting maneuver used and perfected by the Spartans.
– Foot soldiers stood side by side
– Each soldier held a spear in one hand and a shield in another
– The soldiers would press against opponents using the spears and shields