Laurie walked into Grandpa's study wearing a necklace and a long dress pinned at the shoulders.
Her hair was gathered into a net.
"How do I look, Grandpa? Can you guess what I am for Halloween?"
"A woman from ancient Greece of course!" Grandpa said, smiling.
"And which city-state, may I ask, are you from?"
Laurie frowned. "I hadn't really thought about it.
Sparta? Athens?" she answered, naming the only two old Greek cities she knew.
"Those are two very different cities. They were also enemies for many years.
Maybe I should tell you about them so you can decide which one you'd rather live in.
The Spartans were known for being serious, disciplined warriors.
Every man joined the army and spent most of his life in the military.
Training began at age seven, when boys were taken from their families and sent to live in military camps.
They practiced sports for hours each day because having a weak body was considered dishonorable among Spartans.
They were taught to live with only the barest necessities.
Sometimes they were even starved on purpose so they would learn to fearlessly steal or kill their own food for survival.
They were also served a black soup made of pork stewed in pigs' blood, vinegar, and salt to make them strong.
Besides undergoing physical training, they had to learn how to become brave warriors.
A good Spartan warrior could never cry out in pain or surrender easily.
Even the Spartan women were expected to be strong and fearless.
Unlike women in most other Greek cities, women of Sparta spent lots of time outdoors, exercising: they ran, did gymnastics, and danced.
Part of a woman's duty was to provide her husband with a physically fit—preferably male—child who would become a strong warrior.
In order to give birth to a healthy child, it was thought the mother must be fit and healthy too.
Girls also received good educations and were allowed to own property as adults!
This really shocked Greeks from other cities, where women weren't allowed such things.
Spartan men and women were able to devote their lives to building a powerful Spartan military
because all their farming and other labor was done by slaves.
In fact, most of Sparta's economy ran on slave labor.
But just because they had slaves doesn't mean Spartans were extravagant.
They were expected to scorn wealth and luxury.
They didn't have parties and, besides religious rites, had very few celebrations.
They didn't wear jewelry or make much art.
Today the word 'spartan' can describe someone who is courageous and self-disciplined,
but also something that is extremely simple and not at all luxurious.
What do you say, Laurie, could you be a Spartan?"
"Hmm . . . I could play sports, learn stuff, and eventually own my own house.
That doesn't sound so bad, but I want to hear about Athens before I decide," Laurie said.
"You got it. Athenians enjoyed a lifestyle very different from the Spartans.
Women's main duties were to raise children, take care of the household, and weave wool.
If you were an Athenian, you probably would have made that beautiful dress of yours at home.
Now taking care of the household could mean different things depending on how rich you were.
If you were well-off, you probably had many slaves who would clean, watch the children, and bake bread.
If you weren't, well, you might be doing all that work yourself.
Although boys began school around age seven, Athenian girls didn't get to go to school.
Around age 13 or so, they got married and began their lives as wives and mothers.
But Athens was a truly incredible city.
It is often called the birthplace of democracy because it was the first city to test out democracy, or government run by citizens.
Athenians held city meetings at which all citizens—meaning Greek men who were born in the city—could share their opinions.
Then citizens were allowed to vote. Sometimes they decided big issues, such as whether the city should go to war.
Their style of government developed into the democracy we know today.
Athens was also home to the famous Acropolis, an immense complex of temples, theaters, and other impressive buildings.
The temples were dedicated to the worship of the Greeks' many gods and goddesses,
whom the Athenians respected, feared, and often celebrated.
Athenians were not spartan like the Spartans.
They enjoyed sculpture, music, theater, poetry, and philosophy.
Maybe you've heard of the great thinkers Socrates and Aristotle?
They were both from Athens. Athenian citizens were deep thinkers, but they also liked wine, feasts, and celebrations!
Grooming was also an important part of life; both men and women took hot baths and rubbed themselves with olive oil.
Women owned lots of makeup and perfume.
Athenians wore beautiful gold jewelry, a lot of which can be seen in museums today.
Sparta and Athens had very different ideas about how people should live and govern themselves, but each grew to be a strong city.
Eventually they clashed. Both wanted to rule the other Greek city-states, and in 431 BC, they fought in the Peloponnesian War.
After nearly thirty years of battle, the Spartans were victorious and the good times in Athens ended.
So what do you think, my little Grecian?
Which ancient city would you like to live in—Sparta or Athens?" Grandpa asked.
Laurie considered her options. "Being a Spartan would mean I'd live a simple—and maybe harsh—life, but get to run around a lot.
Being an Athenian would mean I'd witness the birth and development of democracy, but I wouldn't get to participate because I'm a girl.
Sparta it is!" Laurie cried, snatching off her necklace and raising a fist in the air. She marched out of the study.
"Lace up your sneakers, Mom," she called.
"We're jogging to the Halloween parade—in true Spartan style!"