ABSTRACT
The city of liberty and oppression was Athens. In drama, history, and philosophy Athen's predominance may be a result of her size and wealth; it is not obvious that it has anything to do with her democracy. The city other than Athens about whose constitution and politics we know most is Sparta. Economy and politics are meshed closely together in the Greek city. The Athenian economy was quite different from the economy of most other cities, in which the economic base was very largely agricultural. Sparta had no mineral resources, and the basis of its economy was agricultural. In Athens, citizen and slave were contrasted in their differential roles in mining and domestic service, but they could and did work side by side in agriculture. In Sparta, the distinction was made in agriculture, with Spartiates playing no part and helots entirely responsible. At Athens, city decisions were taken in the citizen Assembly; at Sparta, the Spartiates together took fundamental decisions.
