What were the similarities and differences between Athens and Sparta?
Activities Locate Athens and Sparta on a map and ask the children to describe their location. Comment on the fact that these two states had their own laws, money, rulers, etc and were rivals. Prepare a number of conflicting statements, eg We welcome writers, no writers here; we welcome visitors, we throw out visitors; we like books and free speech, no reading here; our boys go to school, our boys train to be soldiers; we trade with everyone, we do not allow trade; the sea is important to us, we control the states around us to protect us; our women must not be seen outside the house on their own, our women train to be soldiers and are fit; we allow every citizen to discuss new laws and vote on them and we call it democracy, we have strict rules and expect them to be followed and our kings make our decisions. Ask the children to sort the statements under the headings: ‘Athens near the sea, outward-looking and adventurous’, ‘Sparta land-locked, inward-looking and nervous’. Ask them to dec
