Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/139

CHAPTER VII CONTINUED CONFLICTS AMONG THE GREEK STATES ; ART AND LITERATURE AFTER PERICLES I. POLITICAL REVOLUTIONS 136. Spartan Rule ; Struggle of Oligarchy and Democracy. The long struggle of Athens for the leadership of the Greek world had failed. It now remained to be seen whether her victorious rival, Sparta, was any better suited to undertake such leadership. Military garrisons commanded by Spartan officers were placed in many of the Greek cities, and Spartan control was maintained in a much more offensive form than was the old tyranny of Athens. In each city the Spartans established and supported by military force a government carried on by a small group of men from the noble or upper class. The rule of a small group was called oligarchy, a Greek term meaning "rule of a few." In this violent way Sparta was able to repress the democracies which had been hostile to her. In some cities the oligarchies were guilty of the worst excesses, murdering or banishing their political oppo- nents and seizing their fortunes. When the atrocities of the oli- garchs, backed by Sparta, became quite unbearable in any city, the people would be roused to revolution and would drive their rulers out. So there was constant disorder within the Greek states as well as continued wars between them. It is a dreary story which need not be told here. 137. Rise of Professional Soldiers. The Peloponnesian Wars had kept large numbers of Greeks so long in the army that many of them remained in military life and became professional sol- diers. Soldiers serving a foreign state for pay are called "mer- cenaries." The Greek youths who could find no opportunities at home were therefore enlisting as soldiers in Egypt, in Asia Minor, 91