Emma Suzuki Block 1 ilovezacefron34@hotmail.

com

Education
There have always been civilizations throughout the history of the world. A long time ago, there were ancient civilizations. One ancient country with many different civilizations that has become very popular, is ancient Greece. Ancient Greece had many different city-states, which they called polis, the two most well-known being Athens and Sparta. For all civilizations there are challenges, each of which had to be handled. One common challenge was education, and there are many different ways to educate. Each city-state had to find the way of education best fit to their society. Athens and Spartas way of educating their citizens was very different, as well as their opinion on the way they did. Education for boys in Athens and Sparta was different, but not extremely different, as some situations were handled the same and others differing greatly. According to "Athenian Education & Military Training" Web. 29 Apr. 2011, Athenian boys were tutored until they were 6 or 7, and then were sent to school until age 14. Spartan boys from 7 to 18 boys were obligated to attend military school, while experiencing harsh training and discipline (History Alive! The Ancient World. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2004. Print). When Athenian boys first went to school, all they knew was what their mothers had taught them, which wasnt much. Spartan boys, very similar to Athens, were taught at home until about 7, and went to school, though this school was not a school of the same type of learning as Athens. School in Athens was important, and the leaders made sure of it, by making tuition lower so even the more poor families can afford to go. The boys would learn ball games and writing when younger, and military type games when older. But all boys were taught to play the lyre, sing, read, and do arithmetic. Literature was also very important to Athenians, so a lot of reading was done. At Spartan schools, very different from Athenian schools, everything was strength, endurance, and self-defense for when they were to join the military. The schools were very harsh, allowing no shoes and very little clothing so they could harden themselves to the elements. All boys were taught boxing, swimming, wrestling, javelin throwing and discuss throwing. All activities the boys learned were to strengthen themselves for the wars they may

be needed to take part in. When poorer boys in Athens were 14, they usually stopped education, but more wealthy boys continued until 18, and even after that sometimes had a private tutor. But when they were 18, they took a 2 year military course. Afterwards they could live freely with a wife and family. Yet, in Sparta, when 20 years old, all men (who were citizens) took a series of tests which would determine if they would join the military. If they passed, the men became an official member of the military, living in the barracks with their fellow soldiers. They were all allowed a wife, but to live with her was prohibited. And once the age of 30, men could live freely as a full citizen of Sparta, as long as they served honorably whenever they were needed, until they were 60. Men had very different lives through education in the two city-states. Education for girls was handled not so equally between Athens and Sparta. According to "Athenian Education & Military Training." Web. 29 Apr. 2011 and History Alive! The Ancient World. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2004. Print, Athenian girls were not officially schooled, but were taught to cook, clean, spin thread and weave cloth by helping their mother with these things, some also learned ancient secret songs as well as dances that they performed for religious festivals. It is a mystery for whether or not girls in Sparta received the harsh environment that boys did but it is believed that girls were educated very similarly to boys (Williams, Yona. "Spartan Education: Girls." Unexplainable.Net- UFOS, Ghosts, Paranormal, 2012 And More- Latest News. Web. 06 May 2011). In Athens, boys were the only people who could become full citizens, so girls were not schooled the same way as boys were. In fact, they werent schooled much at all. They learned what they could in their home, as well as good housekeeping skills from their mothers. Girls were thought of as a stereotypical woman. A woman should be in the house cooking, cleaning, preparing things for the husband, not out doing things like boys do such as the military. Women did not live the same free lives that men did in Athens. But Spartan girls did go to school the same that boys did, but the environment they experienced is unknown. Girls, throughout their lives, learned many sports and training to defend their polis. Just like men, girls had to take a similar series of tests, except at age 18 rather than age 20. If the women did not pass the test, they were thought upon as middleclass citizens. Many people thought of this unfair, but the Spartan

women were given a chance that Athenian women did not have the chance to participate in. Women in Sparta were a lot more participated in life than Athenian women. They had a much fuller life with a lot more events. Not all women were treated the same in means of education and learning from the two polis. Spartans and Athenians had different views on education, both of which had an extreme impact on their handling of the situation. Athenians believed that education was to produce great thinkers, and to create people well-trained in the arts, math and science. ("Athenian Education & Military Training." Web. 29 Apr. 2011.) Primarily, educations purpose in Sparta was to produce good soldiers. ("Spartan Education & Military Training." Web. 29 Apr. 2011.) Even though Athenians wanted great thinkers, boys were the only people who could become citizens, making their education more important than girls. Teaching from books was a great thing for this, but boys had to memorize all things they read, as books were rare and expensive. Writing tablets were a helpful tool for this. Most boys had a goal of being a politician, so the type of education produced in Athens was pointed towards that, learning reading, writing, and later on, some boys would learn to publicly speak. In Sparta reading and writing were taught, but skills of that sort were not as important as military skills because military and self-defense was the way of life, and was the most important thing. In Athens, to create well rounded male citizens, not just reading and writing were the things boys needed. Knowing about the arts and similar things was also important to most Athenians. Education was not so important to Spartans. In school, Spartan boys didnt learn much of academics, they mainly focused on military. Of course, the boys needed to learn about these things, so teachers wound them in to the lessons, but the main point of boys going to school was so they could get their military training. Boys practiced and practiced and practiced to become soldiers. The girls, when they trained, became stronger to produce strong babies to become strong soldiers. Everything was tied to the military, and when Sparta went to war, it was all to acquire empire, and to keep from others to acquire empire over them, or what empire they were attempting to get. That was Spartans main goal for the boys and girls in their polis. Athens, on the other hand, didnt care much about empire or war; they only cared to the point that they would be overtaken by another country. Sparta and Athens both had very different thoughts and opinions towards education.

Athens had its way of educating by creating well rounded people, Sparta with its way of discipline and military. Both city states had their opinions and that will always be so, because history cannot change. Their legacies will live on forever, as well as their civilizations. Its nice to have history, to learn from others mistakes, which is why we have such a better, fairer way to educate in the present. Some people will believe we should have a Spartan education, some believe we should learn towards Athens way. The debate will live on forever. Yet, there will always be cultures, civilizations and cities. The world is a huge place with many different people, all of whom have different beliefs, customs, values, and more. The opinions of the two city-states were unalike by means of education, but both had to find the way best fitted to their well-being.

Bibliography: 1) "Athenian Education & Military Training." Web. 29 Apr. 2011. 2) "Spartan Education & Military Training." Web. 29 Apr. 2011. 3) History Alive! The Ancient World. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2004. Print 4) Williams, Yona. "Spartan Education: Girls." Unexplainable.Net- UFOS, Ghosts, Paranormal, 2012 And More- Latest News. Web. 06 May 2011