The two leading races of Greece were the Ionians and the Dorians, and
they stand to each other in a strong contrast of character which largely
affected Greek political history. These prominent points of difference
run through the whole historical career of the two chief states,
_Ionian_ Athens and _Dorian_ Sparta, and were the cause of the strong
antagonism that we find so often in action between them. The Dorian was
distinguished by severity, bluntness, simplicity of life, conservative
ways, and oligarchic tendency in politics; the Ionian was equally marked
by vivacity, excitability, refinement, love of change, taste in the
arts, commercial enterprise, and attachment to democracy. The Dorian, in
the best times of his history, reverenced age, ancient usage, and
religion; the Ionian, at all periods of his career, loved enjoyment,
novelty and enterprise.