Greek City States Vs. Modern Greece - 1244 Words

Greek city-states are perfect examples of historian Peter Stearn’s definition of classical civilizations. At the height of its power between the 5th and 4th centuries, Greece’s land included â€Å"Asia Minor (in modern Turkey), southern Italy, the island of Sicily, and the Greek islands.† (Hornblower) Most of these territories were independently governed and had strong political systems primarily democracy which was born in Athens and became the basis for modern democratic governments in the United States, France and other nations. Many Greek city-states also developed core traditions in the arts and sciences that endure today. All these factors distinguished Greek city-states from river valley civilizations as Stearns states, but like every society in history, each city-state had its strengths and weaknesses. For example, there was a wide range of military power because Greek city-states held different views on its importance. During ancient times, Sparta built one of the strongest armies in classical Greece. At the age of seven, all boys were moved from their homes to government barracks where they were trained to be soldiers for 23 years. After that, they were expected to serve in the army for 30 years until they retired at age 60. Sparta had an insatiable appetite for battle and aggressively went after the territories of other city-states, especially the land of its arch-rival Athens. Like Sparta, Athens was one of the largest and most formidable city-states, but militaryShow MoreRelatedThe Persian Wars Were Significant For World History1441 Words   |  6 Pagesconquest, wars were waged across lands near and far. By means of defense, revolts arose at this time of numerous battles as well as the formation of alliances. As a whole, war is a struggle for power. For instance, two great ancient civilizations, Greece and Persia, fought in a series of conflicts known as the Greco-Persian Wars. Herodotus, the historian who first wrote about the Persian Wars, once said, â€Å"Great things are won by great dangers.† All war is dangerous, yet the advancements made afterwardRead MoreThe Impact Of Freedom On Ancient Greece And Modern America945 Words   |  4 Pagessociety is ‘free’ based on a combination of identifying some general characteristics, as well as considering constraints that may arise from that society’s place in time or geographic location. Thus, the following comparison of freedom in Ancient Greece and Modern America will consist of an identification of similar and differing characteristics of the two, as well as an application of a ‘historical lens’ that accounts for constraints. Oxford Dictionary defines freedom as â€Å"the power or right to act, speakRead MoreComparing Athens And Sparta Vs. Athens972 Words   |  4 Pages15 september 2014 Sparta Vs. Athens â€Å"The ancient Greeks left us a very rich legacy of stories inspired by their gods, goddesses and heroes. 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