Ancient Greek civilization contained many different city-states; two of these city-states were Sparta and Athens. Sparta and Athens were different in their values, politics and society. Sparta focused on the military, discipline, and a strong state. Athens was a peaceful democratic state where women were open to culture and democracy. How do these two city-states differ? Sparta and Athens were formed in two different ways. Sparta was originally composed of four small villages in the southwestern Peloponnese that were unified into a single polis. They conquered two nearby areas known as Laconia and Hesse. These people were then forced to work in Sparta. Athens had established a unified polis on the Attica peninsula. The Ionians colonized Attica and the unification occurred gradually and peacefully. Sparta's main focus was the army. They became a military state to ensure control over the conquered helots. From the first day he was born, a Spartan baby was examined to make sure he was healthy. It was important that the boys were healthy so that they could become strong, healthy soldiers and that everyone was healthy citizens. When Spartan boys reached the age of seven they were taken and taught to read, write and be disciplined. They didn't get out of the military until they were 60. In Document A the statue represents the Spartan soldier and how the army was everything to the Spartans. Athens did not focus on its army as much as Sparta, but it did have an army of hoplites. They paid for military service and the army was open to all classes. They fought only when necessary and died for the city, as it was the duty of all citizens that... middle of paper... men be given all power in the house. Women had no role in government. They learned to spin, weave, sew, cook and do housework. All their lives they were controlled by their father and husband once they married. In conclusion Athens and Sparta were both very different Greek city-states, so different in fact that they could not get along. Commerce, democracy, foreigners, individualism, thought and the arts were all part of Athens. In contrast was Sparta, whose focus was on the state, on achieving power and independence, and on its army. They were never able to unite, due to their sociological and cultural differences. Geographically they were so close that they could not ignore each other, but they fought for the first position among the Greek city-states. Because in the end, it was their differences that separated them.