Comparing Athens and Sparta

When one thinks of ancient Greece, one thinks of two city-states, Athens and Sparta. Two separate texts, Pericles’ “Funeral Oration” by Thucydides and Xenophon’s “On the Spartans,” present contrasting approaches. Though they were both successful in their time, they were also distinct in the virtues they cultivated, the strengths and weaknesses stated in the texts, and the strengths and weaknesses that are not expressed; ultimately, Athens’ unique and innovative approach was superior.

With its unique form of governing and distinct outlook on its city-state, Athens stood in stark contrast to Sparta. The city's emphasis on equality and justice and its open participation in funeral activities set it apart. Pericles' proclamation of the importance of obeying ancestral laws and honoring the dead as a matter of utmost importance in Athens added a unique layer to the comparison not found in Sparta.

Xenophon tells of a different story in “On the Spartans.” Sparta valued honor, obedience, and training. One particular value they held was that “Production of children was the noblest duty.” [1] Females ought to exercise as often as males, and when married couples come together with strong desires, they will produce vigorous children. A downside to marriage in Sparta was that men were not allowed to marry whom or when they wanted to. Again, for the same reason, “they should contract marriages only when they were in full bodily vigor, deeming this injunction also conducive to producing excellent offspring…”[2] Older men were encouraged to introduce their wives to younger men to have more children to ensure abundant youth. Young boys were trained with whips by other boys to instill the horror of disgrace.

Not only were the values of the respective city-states described, but also the strengths and weaknesses of each. The strengths Thucydides writes about are egalitarianism, equal justice, and being open to foreigners. As described above, all Athenians, no matter their social status, were allowed to attend public funerals. Mourning was not an activity for the elite. Foreigners were not only allowed to participate but were welcomed: “We throw open our city to the world, and never by alien acts exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit by our liberality; trusting less in system and policy than to the native spirit of our citizens.”[3] Pericles also extols the virtue of their unique form of democracy as a valuable strength of Athens. This form of governance, which gave all citizens a voice, was a stark contrast to Sparta's more rigid system. Lastly, the Athenians’ practice of praising and honoring the dead, which had a unifying effect on the people, was another strength that set them apart.