spartan women vs atheian women

A detailed Summary of spartan women vs atheian women

In Ancient Greek times around 4BC, women were typically subordinated. An example of this treatment can be seen in the lives of women living in Athens. In contrast, a neighboring area, Sparta, illustrated a different way of life for their women. Sparta was located in the south-central portion of the Peloponnesian and was a more isolated culture. It was dependent upon agriculture while Athens was cosmopolitan and dependent on manufacture and trade. With the separation of the two areas, was also the separation of ideas and understandings, and as a result, the concept of a women and her status was quite different in the two societies due to patriarchy. Differences were mainly seen in education, marriage, and motherhood.

The democracy of the Athenian society existed with patriarchy. As a result, the Athenian society made a major shift in the worship of Goddess to God. Harriman said, "The Athenian democracy began to definitive form...Its laws served to crystallize the subordination of women...," (55). An athenian woman was practically an object herself. She could not own property and was excluded from becoming a citizen. (Taylor, 1999). If the husband died, she became a practic

On the otherhand, the education of Spartan women was to be taken seriously as a result of the men off at war. They could not enforce patriarchy while they were away. As a result, women had more freedom. Education was instituted as a state policy for both man and woman (Hooker, 1995). This education was not solely academic. They were taught how to read and write. In addition, physical education taught them to protect themselves. A female's education was equivalent to that of the male, which included athletic events such as javelin, foot races, staged battles, and discus. They were also taught that their lives should be dedicated to the state (Hooker, 1995).

Taylor, J. (1999, April). Retrieved September 20, 2000 from the World Wide Web:http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/prehistory/aegean/amazons/linksandbibliography.html

As a result of patriarchy, the Athenian society like most other Greek societies, regulated the status of a woman. She became a piece of property and was not allowed to become a citizen. In contrast, the women of the Spartan society had a great deal of freedom and owned property as well. This was the result of their husbands fighting at war because of Sparta constant warfare and their inability to control patriarchy. Consequently, the two societies took on different views of a women and her status in many areas such as marriage, education, and motherhood.

Hooker, R. (1995). Retrieved September 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/GREECE.HTM

An Athenian woman was seen as impulsive, less rational, emotional, and weaker than males. The status of the Athenian women was minimal and only a small step above slave (Sickinger, 1997). She lacked experience in the world and was dependent upon man. Women were on Earth for the sake of procreation, to bear sons, and to live with her father and then husband's name.

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