Athens vs. Sparta: Two Models of Power

CASE BRIEF: Athens prized debate and art. Sparta prized discipline and war. Both called themselves successful.

TASK: Use primary accounts to evaluate competing Greek definitions of a "successful" society.

EVIDENCE: Thucydides' description of Athenian democracy - Plutarch's account of Spartan military training - A comparison chart of Athenian vs. Spartan daily life

ANALYZE: What does each society optimize for? Whose citizens had more freedom? Whose had more security? Could either model exist without the other nearby?

BUILD A CLAIM: Argue which city-state better achieved "success," after defining what success means to you.

RUBRIC: Defines its own success criteria explicitly - Uses evidence from both Thucydides and Plutarch - Considers trade-offs, not just advantages