Sparta was founded by the Dorians who occupied the Peloponnesus of Greece., the Spartans conquered nearby regions and made people be their slaves. Since the slaves outnumbered the Spartans by as many as 10 to 1, they set up a military government in case the slaves revolted. The Spartan aim was to make strong-bodied and fearless men and women. Sickly babies were left on a hilltop to die. Spartan women could not become citizens. They were trained to in gymnastics and physical endurance. The Spartans thought strong women would produce muscular babies. The Spartans were the bravest warriors in Greece. All of Greece admired the Spartans" courage and obedience, yet they also criticized the one-sidedness of their life.
Athens was very different from Sparta. They believed that people lived empty lives if they failed to use their minds and develop all their talents. Athens was the shining center of Greek culture. They were the teachers of Greece. The Athenians were proud of their political freedom and their artists, playwrights, poets, and thinkers. The Athenians were the first people to develop some kind of a democracy. Other city-states used this idea to establish some peace within their region. Some of the most brilliant scientists and philosophers originated in Athens. Some of these people were Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus, Hippocrates, Socrates, and the Sophists.
