Athens and Sparta were two critical poleis of the Archaic Age of Greece; they were inherently similar but different in many ways. They both shared representative forms of government through assemblies of members elected by the citizens of each respective polis, but Sparta was ruled by two kings in a strictly controlled military state, while Athens was ruled by archons elected annually in a democracy. Both city-states shared an extensive slave-owning culture, with Spartans enslaving the helots while Athens owned significant populations of slaves. It could be argued that both Sparta and Athens were militaristic. Sparta was the epitome of military culture, training males from a young age to fight and be independent. However, Athens also maintained a strong army and powerful navy as well; it was a pacified city-state, often raging war to establish control (Brooks, 2019).
Where the two city-states differed significantly is their cultures. Sparta was a military society focused on service to the military and state. It emphasized aspects such as duty, discipline, and physical endurance through all elements of its government system, such as the military, education, and civil service. In many ways, Athens also valued these aspects, particularly with an emphasis on civil service, especially after reforms that allowed not just wealthy aristocrats to rule but gave all males access to power. However, the Athens culture was also heavily embedded in humanities, such as philosophies, art, and entertainment – things that Sparta had little concern for in its society. Athens also maintained a strong class division, where the ruling elite controlled much of the power and wealth while the lower classes, despite being citizens, were given less. Women who had virtually no power, voice, or presence in Athens society were not allowed to own property or vote and were seen as the property of their husbands and fathers. Meanwhile, while some class division existed in Sparta, the militaristic nature bonded everyone together as both kings and regular Spartans respected each other. Women in Sparta were given the most rights, likely in the whole ancient world, being able to own property, could speak publicly, run households, and be relied upon by their husbands (Brooks, 2019).