Together with Athens, Sparta is one of the best known city-states of ancient Greece, but during the classical period, it was a very different place to Athens.

Sparta was ruled by two kings and a Council of Elders. There was an assembly of citizens, but this did not have the power of the citizen assembly in democratic Athens.

During the 5th century BC Sparta was very powerful. This was due to her army, which was feared by other Greeks. Sparta focused on producing good soldiers and all Spartan male citizens were part of the army. The Spartan army played an important role in the Greek victory over the Persians, in 480-479 BC.

However, archaeological evidence shows us that Sparta was not always such a military-minded city. In earlier times, Spartan bronze and ivory workers produced beautiful objects and poetry flourished. Objects from this period provide evidence of this highpoint in Spartan culture.

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From the moment of a Spartan girl or a boy came into the world, the military and the city state were the center of every Spartan citizen’s life. Both male and female babies were determined by city state if they were strong enough to be Spartan citizens. If the infants were too week or sick, they were abandoned in the country side to die. This was a very common thing in the Greek world because Sparta made it an official government policy.

When a male Spartan was at the age of seven, he was taken from his mother and sent to live in special military barracks for twenty three years. In these barracks they were taught discipline, athletics, survival skills, hunting, weapons training and how to endure the pain. At the age of twenty in the barracks, the male Spartans become soldiers for the state.

The life of a Spartan soldier was with his soldiers. He ate, slept and trained with them. They were allowed to marry, but couldn’t live with their wives. Only equals were allowed to live with their wives and children. Equals were the soldiers who reached thirtieth age, but if any soldier who disgraced himself in any way was risked not becoming an equal.

They were granted expanded rights and allowed to participate in politics. However equals were still soldiers. Military service was required until age sixty.