Athens Vs. Sparta
Athens
Athens is the capitol and largest city in Greece. Athens had a democracy government. Athens believed in expressing the arts, and giving the people more power. Athens had a weak military, mainly focusing on their navy. Sparta was also home to many philosophers.
Sparta
Sparta had a smaller population than Athens. Sparta had an oligarchy government. Sparta focused everything on their military and were known as the protectors of Greece. Sparta made children go to military school beginning at the age of 7. Sparta needed to have a strong military to defend against all of the slaves they had incase they wanted to rebel.
Which was better?
Sparta and Athens were both great societies but I Sparta was better. One main reason Sparta was better was because Sparta won the war between Athens and Sparta. Athens didn't focus on their military and only had a navy. Sparta took over their navy and then starved them until they surrendered by making them have no way to defend themselves or escape. Athens and Sparta got into war because Athens was trying to take over more land and territories and Sparta feared they would get taken over. Sparta was also superior because Athens decided to kill Socrates a great Greek philosopher.
Socrates
Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher. Socrates lived in ancient Athens and was one of the greatest minds of his time. He had a different way of thinking and began to lead a lot of followers. Athens did not like that more and more people began to follow Socrates so they sentenced him to death. Socrates was alright with this though because he wanted to know if there was or wasn't an afterlife. Socrates was a great mind and Athens shouldn't have killed him, that is one way that Sparta is superior to Athens.
When did they fall?
Sparta's supremacy was broken following the Battle of Lectura in 371 BC. It was never able to regain its military supremacy and was finally absorbed by the Achaean League in the 2nd century BC.
Athens fell when Sparta won the war between them around 460 BC.
Ancient Greeks: Spartan Invasion | History Channel Documentary