Everyone knows about ancient Greece. Long ago, it was the centre of modern free thought, democracy, and philosophy. Art, science, and literature flourished. People wore togas. Things were good.

People nowadays love to think things were perfect in the elder days. But things aren’t always what they seem...

How It All Began

Unlike most city-states of the times, instead of forming along a river canal, the city-states of Greece were primarily coastal. The Geography of the average riverbed was fertile soil allowing for large cities, whereas the geography of Greece was mostly rocky, unfertile land, forcing people to expand outwards. The easy access to the sea allowed for good trade of goods and ideas, and colonies quickly sprung up all along the Mediterranean.

At around 750 B.C. the Greek city-state was created, called a polis. The general design of the polis was to have a form of high city on top of a hill, called the acropolis. The acropolis contained the temples of the gods. The rest of the city was just below that on the flatlands, and contained the necessaries for the polis's survival, like marketplaces, theatres, and homes. Each polis held a relatively small number of people, creating an aura of brotherhood among those living there, much like today's small communities.

The Government Of The Polis

Between 750 B.C. and 500 B.C., the polis went through many styles of government. First off was the monarchy, in which a king or queen ruled the people.

Eventually, power shifted to the wealthy land-owning nobles. They were the main defenders of the polis, seeing as they were the only ones who could afford to support the cost of weaponry needed for a fighting force. Using this to their advantage, and the government changed to an aristocracy.

Last of all arose the middle class of wealthy merchants, artisans, and farmers. They eventually made a bid for power, and because of their economic influence, got it, forming the oligarchy.

Warfare, And Why Sparta Was So Good At It

Military technology at the time was very limited. Bronze weapons had been the norm, but they had also been very expensive, and had only allowed for the nobles to have armies. The advent of iron weapons allowed any old fool to buy a sword and helmet. This meant that soldiers could be made by the government, and the need for the noble class was diminished. One problem was that your average citizen was fully capable of taking that same sword and helmet, and fatally wounding himself with it. Thus the new super weapon of the times was formed: The Phalanx.

The phalanx was a huge, heavily armed and trained formation of soldiers. Such formations created a whole new style of warfare, and created a new social class, the paid soldier.

Sparta - The Soldier Nation

Sparta originally started out as the Dorians who had just finished conquering Laconia. The Dorians enslaved the land's populations, and because slaves outnumbered Dorian about twenty to one, they set up a brutal system of control to ensure that no rebellion ever took place.

The Spartan government was unique in the fact that it had two kings, one for governing at home, the other for leading men into war. Both kings were advised by a council of elders. An assembly of citizens decided on major decisions, and elected five Ephors, who were officials who ruled over the day to day affairs. They controlled the real power.

Why They Were So Good At War

At childbirth, every infant was inspected by an official for health. Sickly or weak children were abandoned outside the city to be eaten by the wolves. This was to ensure that future generations of soldiers would be strong.

At age seven, boys left home to live in the local barracks, where things became much worse. There they were given a coarse diet, and never enough food to stay healthy. They were expected to steal food, and were punished severely if they were caught. Not for stealing, though. They were punished for being caught. They were given sparse clothing, and no shoes or sandals, in the hopes of hardening their soles and making them more nimble.

Boys lived in the barracks until age thirty, and ate there until age seventy. Marriage was allowed at twenty.

Women, too, had things rough in Spartan society. They were expected to exercise daily, a one of a kind event in the ancient world. Women were expected to obey their husbands or fathers exclusively.

Athens - Democracy And Violence

Athens was a city-state found in Attica, north of the Peloponnese. Like in most city-states, Athens’s government started as a monarchy, and evolved into an aristocracy. The nobles chose chief officials, and judged major court cases.

This system resulted in great economic growth and power, but the common class resented the absolute control of the nobles, who used their power selfishly. Debts began to rise, and with them, discontent. Slowly, pushed by the people's anger, democracy formed.

Draco - A Snake If We Ever Saw One

Draco was the first Archon appointed to quell growing public unrest, to draw up civil law, and to prevent civil war. Instead, he put into place a harsh code of law, in which most offences resulted in death. The people continued with their demands for equality, and, with little surprise, violence persisted.

Solon - The Lawgiver

Solon was the next to appointed Archon, and did a good job. Appointed in 594 B.C., Solon eliminated debt slavery and freed the slaves. He opened more of the high political offices to the common citizen, and gave the Athenian assembly more power to make decisions.

He put in place economic reforms, and encouraged trade in oil and wine. He put in place an embargo on grain trade, lowering food prices and feeding more of the public.

Solon's designs brought much wealth into Athens, but the discontent continued. Most of the freed debt slaves didn't have enough money or land to survive, and land holding was still a key to power.

Pisistratus The Tyrant - The People's Choice

In 546 B.C., aided by the common people, Pisistratus seized power. He immediately aided farmers with loans for land, and gave land confiscated from the nobles. He created public works projects to employ the jobless. In giving the citizens greater say in the running of the government, he weakened the aristocracy.

Cliesthenes - A Second Reform

In 508 B.C., Cliesthenes was elected. He made the Athenian assembly the main lawmaking body, and opened it to all Athenian citizens. He also established the council of five hundred, which proposed and administered the laws. The council members were chosen by lot. His most notable accomplishment was the introduction of ostracism, or banishment. The sentence was ten years, and was almost the same thing as a death sentence, but you at least had a chance.

Pericles - The Golden Age Of Athens

Pericles was the most noteworthy of the Athenian Archons. Under his rule¹ Athens flourished. Wealth flowed into the city, and many new ideas and philosophies formed. The Athenian government became a direct democracy, where common citizens could call nobles and public officials into court for breaking the law, or become jurors in such cases. Jurors were now paid for their services, allowing people to take time away from their tasks. Men at age eighteen became members of the assembly, and took an oath to protect Athens. These men served two years in the military. Public moral was at an all time high.

Curiosity and free education was encouraged, and many things were taught, among which were such topics as grammar, poetry, music, public speaking, history, ideals of the warrior, and the privileges and responsibilities of the model citizen. A strong emphasis was put on a sound body and mind.