The competition of the two powers of the Ancient Greek world was on going for centuries. The longest faught war though was the Peloponnesian war [term given later by the historians] which started at 431 and ended at 404 BCE ans caused the deaths of many including Pericles son and later his own.
A navy is not on land, so neither had the best navy.
There was not rivalry. Sparta, although militarily powerful, was usually reluctant to go to war. Athens, overconfident with the power it gained from its empire, was aggressive and interfered in the affairs of other cities. Sparta appealed to Sparta to back off when it tried to bankrupt Megara, a member of the Peloponnesian League, A rampant Athens persisted and war ensued.
Sparta had a limited democracy, where the citizens had motions put before them by the Council for decisions but could not raise motions themselves.
Sparta
SPARTA!
TIME Sparta fell long,centuries after it's glorious time.So it did not clash on the height of it's power but long after the days of heroes were gone.And they were gone shortly after Thermopylae.
yes it is real. Sparta is a city-state of ancient Greece in the southeast Peloponnesus. Settled by Dorian Greeks, it was noted for its militarism and reached the height of its power in the sixth century B.C.. but remember the people in Sparta don't belive in mercy.
The recognised leading power in the Greek world at the time.
A navy is not on land, so neither had the best navy.
No, The original Sparta was at the height of it's power over 1100 years before Elizabeth I, it was destroyed by Alaric and the Visigoths in 396AD. Such was the reputation of the Spartan army that even Alexander the Great and his father Philip of Macedonia left them alone, although Philip sent them this message 'If I enter Sparta, I will level it to the ground.' The Spartans sent back a one word message, 'IF'.
Sparta .
Sparta had a limited democracy. Sparta had two kings who ruled the city-state. They also had a 28 member council which could limit the power of the kings.
Sparta
oligarchs
oligarchys or the council of elders
Neither. Sparta was an oligarchy where nobles of a certain rank had direct power of the citizens and non-citizens (helots) in Sparta. Citizens who were not from these noble families and non-citizens had no power to promote their views.You are likely thinking of Athens which was a direct democracy.
Athens was not in control of Sparta before, during or after the war. The only facet of its military that was stronger than Sparta's was the Athenian navy.