THE BEECHMONT CREST GUIDE TO ANCIENT GREECE
Comparing Sparta and Athens
Sparta and Athens were the two most significant city-states of classical Greece; we will therefore discuss them in some detail. These two ancient Greek poleis are often depicted as case studies in the extreme courses that a society can take. In this version of events, Sparta is a bit like North Korea, and Athens is portrayed as a democratic paradise.
If forced to choose between the two, most of us would probably opt to be an Athenian rather than a Spartan. Nevertheless, a close examination of Sparta and Athens yields some interesting revelations: Sparta had elements of democratic rule that are largely absent from modern dictatorships like North Korea. And Athens, despite its commitment to democracy, eventually became an imperial power that sometimes oppressed other communities.