Reading: Life in the Greek City-States

Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states rather than one united kingdom. Athens and Sparta had different laws and ways of life, but both divided people into groups with unequal rights. In Athens, adult men born to citizen families could take part in political life. They might vote in the Assembly, serve on juries or hold certain offices. Women, children, resident foreigners and enslaved people could not vote. Athenian citizenship was restricted because political decision-making was reserved for a small part of the population. Resident foreigners, called metics in Athens, included traders and craftspeople who lived and worked in the city. They paid taxes and supported the economy, but did not have the same political rights as citizens. Women’s lives varied with their family circumstances. Athenian women generally had limited public and political roles and managed household responsibilities. Spartan women had more scope to manage property and households while many men were away training or serving as soldiers. Enslaved people did a wide range of work, including domestic tasks, farming, mining and skilled trades. In Sparta, helots were a particular group of state-controlled labourers who farmed land for Spartan households. They had few rights and were closely controlled. Athens was associated with debate, trade and citizen participation in government, while Sparta placed strong emphasis on military discipline. Both societies relied on people who lacked political power. This inequality could cause resentment and threaten social stability.