Question

Why is the Spartan government more of a hybrid (mix) than a true oligarchy?

Answer 1

Sparta functioned under an oligarchy. The state was ruled by two hereditary kings of the Agiad and Eurypontid families. Both supposedly descendants of Heracles, and are equal in authority so that one could not act against the power and political enactments of his colleague.

Step-by-step explanation:

I'm not sure if I'm right.. I got this out of my history text book.

Answer 2

The Spartan government is a hybrid of oligarchy and monarchy, with power shared between the kings, the Council of Elders, and the Assembly of Spartiates. The presence of checks and balances and democratic elements further distinguishes it from a pure oligarchy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Spartan government is considered a hybrid rather than a true oligarchy because it incorporated elements of both oligarchy and monarchy. While the government was led by two hereditary kings, the real power lay in the hands of the Council of Elders and the Assembly of Spartiates. The kings had limited authority and were guided by the decisions of these governing bodies. Additionally, the Spartan government had a unique system of checks and balances in place to prevent any one group from gaining too much power. For example, the Ephors, elected officials who represented the common Spartan citizens, had the authority to oversee the actions of the kings and could even remove them from power if necessary.

Overall, the Spartan government's combination of monarchy, oligarchy, and democratic elements made it a more flexible and balanced system, distinguishing it as a hybrid rather than a pure oligarchy.

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