Social structure Only free, land-owning, native born men could be citizens entitled to the full protection of the law in a city-state. In most city-states, unlike the situation in Rome, social prominence did not allow special rights. Sometimes families controlled public religious functions, but this ordinarily did not give any extra power in the government. In Athens, the population was divided into four social classes based on wealth. People could change classes if they made more money. In Sparta, all male citizens were called homoioi, meaning "peers". However, Spartan kings, who served as the city-state's dual military and religious leaders, came from two families.
Social structure Only free land-owning native born men could be citizens entitled to the full protection of the law in a city-state In most city-states unlike the situation in Rome social prominence did not allow special rights Sometimes families controlled public religious functions but this ordinarily did not give any extra power in the government In Athens the population was divided into four social classes based on wealth People could change classes if they made more money In Sparta all male citizens were called homoioi meaning "peers" However Spartan kings who served as the city-state's dual military and religious leaders came from two families