During the Lyric Age (800-500B.C.), the Greeks expanded geographically, artistically, and politically. With the revival of literacy, there was a literary flowering where poets began to break away from the heroic tradition and write about their own lives. During this time, Sparta and Athens rose to prominence, the two antipodal city-states of Greek society. Here I will explore the contrasting governments, attitudes towards women, values, and education systems of the two city-states, Athens and Sparta.
             In Athens, the pressing economic and social problems led to the creation of government by democracy. Four rulers, Draco, Solon, Pisistratus, and Cleisthenes, greatly influenced the political development of Athens. However, Athenian democracy can not be called a true democracy since there were several flaws in the government, and hopper-class male citizens over the age of thirty were the only Athenians who held any right to vote. The democracy in Athens consisted of an executive, legislative, and judicial branch. Together, nine anchors, a Council of five hundred, an Assembly, and a court chosen by lot governed the city-state with limited power. The Assembly was made up of five hundred men selected from a list eligible to serve on the council. All branches of the government were capable of vetoing one another. It was also customary to expel any speaker who became too powerful from the country. This rule could easily be abused and often infringed on the freedom of speech that most democracies have. However, as stated in the Athenian Constitution, male citizens were equal, and the government focused on the individual rather than the state. This form of government could have run smoothly if it had not existed in a time led by military empires. The Athenian economy depended on foreign trade and travel. Because of Athens' location on the Aegean Sea, sailing increased business and placed Athenian ships everywhere, from the Black Sea to Spain. W...