Ancient Greece

Welcome to the Ancient Greek part of our website.

Stages of Government in Ancient Greece

Monarchy

The Ancient Greeks were mostly divided city-states. From around 2000 B.C to 800 B.C, these were ruled by monarchs. As time passed though, they relied more and more on aristocratic families and their wealth to keep there kingdoms going. Over time they realized that they did not need the king and dispatched him. So, the times of the oligarchy's began.

Oligarchy

The oligarchs were usually the aristocratic families which had supported the king with wealth. They were cruel and usually made the life of the poor miserable to make there lives more luxurious. As more and more people despised this, they rose up and killed or drove out the oligarchs. The oligarchs were able to rule from 800 B.C to 650 B.C.

Tyranny

When you hear the word tyrant, you think of someone who ruled by brute force and was horrible for the common good. Some of the tyrants who seized power from the oligarchs were like this. Others ruled fairly and wisely. They were usually supported by the middle class. The tyrants held power from 650 B.C to 500 B.C. By then, many people wanted a say in the government. So a new type of government formed.

Democracy

When democracy rose it started giving most people a fair say in the government. It was the strongest in Athens. A city state which was wealthy with coastline and fertile soil. It had the biggest navy out of all the city-states. The democracy did not give everyone equal power. Most couldn't vote. There were also problems since it was a direct democracy. Everyone got to vote for everything. This led to problems. Powerful speakers could make citizens make bad decisions. But the idea remained and started something which would have a lasting impact.

Notable City-State's

Athens:

Athens was a wealthy city which could do many things. It had all the things required for a successful civilization. Many people had time for thinking. These people were called philosophers. There ideas remain today.

Plato

One of them was called Plato. He was taught by Socrates ( another famous philosopher) and he taught Aristotle ( another famous philosopher). You can see that life was open and free.

Sparta:

If life was open and free in Athens then it was just the opposite in Sparta. Spartan boys were only kept alive at birth if the elders thought it was strong enough. At age 7 they were put in the barracks to train with other boys for the next 13 years.

Experience Spartan boy training hand on!

http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/sparta/challenge/cha_set.html

Spartan girls were not expected to train so variously or become soldiers. But they did believe they should exercise and be healthy. They thought that strong healthy woman would have strong healthy baby's.