[Fiddlstix]

......The rationalist Athenians would have none of that.....

I believe you mean the Spartans, don't you?

[Calusa]

The vile custom of exposing unwelcome female babies probably created a certain preponderance of males in Attica, and made it relatively easy to marry off a desirable young girl.

It's easy to pick on the Spartiate, but the fabled Athenians engaged in it also.

http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_text_wsd_sec27.htm