Welcome to a land full of hills and steep peaks piercing the sky like knives. A land of dense forests, where the trees know no bounds. The plains covered with lush green grass seem to have no end. In the west, even the marshy wetlands look beautiful; the sun shines dimly on the fine grass, and even the mud is pleasing to the eye – the darkness is broken by points of light. We are in ancient Greece, a land full of wonders as diverse as the sun and the moon. Just as the land becomes more differentiated as it expands across the map, so do its cities and people. Two of the most different things about this country are the city-states of Athens and Sparta; states as different as the lands on which they were built. These cities were polar opposites in every way. However, there is one thing they did together: they showed how different the meaning of citizenship can be within the same region. Ancient Athens and Sparta were a striking example of how the rights and responsibilities of inhabitants could be different between places within the same country due to their governments, societies, education styles and traditions. women's rights. On the one hand, the dissimilar governments of Athens and Sparta led to distinctly different meanings of citizenship. In Athens, being a citizen was considered a right in itself due to the strict requirements; although not dependent on wealth, influence, or profession, he must have been a free-born man. However, these people had many rights. Athens being a democracy, any citizen could express themselves and share their opinions. An Athenian could also vote in the Assembly, debate, and own land and slaves. In addition to these rights, you could also be part of the Boule, the citizen body of Athenian democracy. This was not guaranteed, but as there were 4...... middle of paper ......men could do athletics and drink wine, which was considered unacceptable elsewhere. Women could also own property; two-fifths of Spartan lands were owned by women. Not only could they own land, but they could also become very wealthy. Most of the richest people in Sparta were women, as many men were killed in war. Finally, they were treated on an equal footing with men. This meant they had to stay fit, just like the men. The city-states of ancient Athens and Sparta showed how varied the meaning of being a citizen can be within the same country. Looking at all the details, it is very clear why there was a huge difference between the meanings of citizenship in ancient Athens and Sparta. Sure, there are some smaller elements, but it was all really due to their distinct views on government, society, education, and women's rights..