The Greek Civil War: Sparta Vs. Athens

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During the Hellenic experience, two Greek city-states were the most influential throughout Greece. Sparta and Athens, very similar yet very different proved to be the powerhouses of the time. Two heads seemed to be better than one for quite some time as Sparta and Athens worked together to win the Persian Wars for Greece. However, Greece soon began to be too small for both powers and they turned on each other in a civil war called the Peloponnesian War which would put an end to the Hellenic experience.
As a state that got its commerce mainly from conquering others (as trade was highly discouraged), Sparta depended highly on militarism. Pure born Spartans known as Spartiatai made up most of the military although other people known as Perioikoi (non-Spartan born citizens) could join the military as well. Training started for men at the young age of six. Arguably, you could say his training started at birth as all Spartan males were examined by city officials, to judge if he was a healthy enough baby to keep. Up until the Spartan man was 30 he would have no home other than the military. The men were taught basic literacy and other things however his military training was obsolete. At 30 he could then take a wife, some land, and have a family and soon become a member …show more content…
With Sparta being a militaristic stronghold and Athens being the epicenter of knowledge and law the two were bound to but heads. However, a non-aggression pact was signed by both states creating the Delian League in 478 BCE to guarantee no turmoil interrupted what was most important to Greece; the Games at Olympus. Greece was very fond of athletics and knowledge. Every four years a series of sporting events and literary competitions were held at the festival of Zeus. Fighting and war would temporarily be put on the back burner for these games. However, war would not stray from Greece for
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