Sparta: Society, government, education

Geography / History
1. Used to be inhabited by the Mycenaeans.
2. Mycenaean civilisation destroyed by fire.
3. Dorian people arrived (may have been responsible for the fire).
4. They claimed to be descendants of Hercules.
5. Four villages grew which joined together to form a polis.
6. Land is surrounded by mountains.
  1. Isolated
  2. Private
  3. Well defended
7. It is not close to the sea but has a river
8. The city is quite bare - not elaborate.
9. Communities living close by were called 'perioikoi'.
10. They had internal control over their affairs but had to conform to Spartan policy and give them troups.
11. The region of Lakonia was conquered which led to the creation of the Helots.
12. What the Greeks though of Sparta
  1. Without war they had nothing to do.
  2. Women had large influence.
13. Southern Greece - Southeast Peloponnese
  1. Banks of Evrotas River in Laconia
  2. Bounded by Mt. Taygetus and Mt. Parnon.
14. Background basically
Social Structure
1. Spartan Men and Women were at the top.
2. Inferiors
  1. Lived in Sparta but had fewer rights.
    1. Had to give seat up for a Spartan.
  2. Not slaves, not citizens.
  3. Categories
    1. Partheniai - Illegitimate children of Spartan fathers and helot mothers.
    2. Mothaces - Sons of helots, adopted for playmates of Spartan boys.
    3. Neodamodeis - Helots who had won freedom from their courage in battle.
      1. Some of these were killed though.
    4. Tresantes - Spartans deprived of citizenship for acts of cowardice.
3. Perioeci
  1. Dorian origin
  2. Settlements lived around Sparta.
    1. 80-100
  3. Called upon to give men for war.
  4. Made everyday items for Spartans.
    1. Clothes
    2. Shows
    3. Furniture
    4. Metalwork
    5. Fishermen
  5. Good quality of life so did not rebel.
4. Helots
  1. Slaves
  2. There were loads of them; 10-20:1
  3. Conquered Messenians & Original Achaean inhabitants of Laconia.
  4. Duties
    1. Farmers on Spartan estates.
      1. Kept surplus profits.
    2. Household slaves.
      1. Women were nurses.
    3. Baggage-handlers and skirmishers at war.
  5. Kept in line brutally however there were some minor revolts.
  6. Rights
    1. Forbidden to leave certain area
    2. Routinely humiliated.
    3. Spartans spread terror to stop revolts.
    4. At the start of each year, Heltos would get rounded up and killed.
Goverment
1. 2 Kings
  1. Equal Power
  2. One would go to war whilst the other would stay behind
  3. Religious leaders
  4. Prevents 1 from getting too much power
  5. Political and social influence
  6. Huge funerals
  7. Command army
  8. Sons did not go to agoge
  9. Every 9 years they are confirmed as kings, by the Ephors looking at the stars
  10. 2 Ephors went with them on military campaigns
  11. Can be removed if war goes badly
  12. Descended from Hercules
2. Gerousia
  1. 28 elders and 2 kings
    1. Over the age of 60
      1. = Senile
  2. Appointed by acclamation
    1. Corruption
    2. Listener may get it wrong
  3. Prepare debate bills for the assembly to vote on
  4. Judges in criminal cases
  5. Small selection pool as most men died in war
3. Ephors
  1. 5 of them
    1. Only last 1 year
      1. Weeds out coruption
        But they don't get very good
  2. Check on stars every 9 years about kings
  3. Go with kings to war
  4. Young - more people to pick from than Gorousia
  5. Chosen by acclamation
  6. Decide number of troups to go on wars
  7. Dealed in foreign affairs, education, goverment, security
  8. Shared powers between 5 of them
4. Ecclesia
  1. All men over 30
  2. Met once a month to vote
  3. Ephors could stop vote, Gerousia could change vote
  4. Just a vote, no discussion
Women
1. Important part of Spartan society.
2. Brought up equally with boys
  1. Fed equally
  2. Cared for equally
3. Intense physical training
4. No weaving or spinning
5. Danced and sang naked at processions
6. Married at 18
7. Learnt how to manage estates
8. They were brought up to be strong and healthy
  1. To bear strong children
  2. Believe in Spartan ideals
9. 'Thigh-flashers'
10. Mingled with men and took part in sports
11. Kings looked to their wives for advice
12. Didn't vote
13. What would Greeks have thought?
  1. Shocked at freedom and education
  2. Shocked at power
  3. Surprised at equality
  4. Could'nt wear jewllery or make-up
  5. Disgusted at sexual behaviour (children with other men)
  6. Admirred fitness and beuty
14. Name on gravestone IF they died in childbirth
15. Education
  1. Taught how to manage estates
  2. Physical
  3. How to hunt
16. Marriage
  1. Married at 18 (not rushed)
  2. Cut hair short and dressed like men as people are used to having sex with other men
  3. Seperated after marriage for a couple of days
17. In the home
  1. Ran household
  2. No housework (helots did it)
  3. Excersized a lot
Education
1. Birth
  1. When a baby is born, its father will take it to the council of elders for inspection.
  2. If it was weak it would be taken to the 'place of rejection' near the slope of Mt. Taygetus.
  3. It was common to abandon children in Ancient Greece but only the Spartans had a specific place.
2. Early Years (Nursery)
  1. The Spartans would bathe their children in wine. This would strengthen healthy babies but kill weak ones.
  2. Babies were not given arm clothes and were left alone at night.
  3. As they grew they were taught to not be fussy about their food and not to cry.
3. Primary School (7-14)
  1. Boys left home at 7.
  2. They lived together at the agoge (barracks).
  3. The agoge was run by the paidonomos (headmaster) who would be a fearsome warrior.
  4. Many of the staff were 20yr old eirens, who had been outstanding students themselves.
  5. Taught how to fight.
  6. Singing/fighting/sporting contests.
  7. Basic reading and writing.
4. Secondary School (14-18)
  1. Barefoot at all times.
  2. Were given one cloak to last the entire year.
  3. Cut hair short and played naked to strengthen bodies.
  4. Only allowed to bath a few times a year.
  5. Broke reeds for the River Evrotas to make their beds.
  6. Given little food.
    1. This meant a lot of stealing. If they got caught then they would be whipped.
  7. At this age they took a male lover.
    1. Older man was a mentor and educator.
    2. If the child cried out during a fight, the older man was punished.
5. University (18-19)
  1. Lycurgus was worried about boys of this age as they were the most likley to rebel.
  2. Were worked hard and watched carefully.
  3. Respect for elders was emphasised when walking youths were expected to stay silent and keep their eyes fixed on the ground.
6. Girls
  1. Intense physical training
  2. No weaving or spinning
  3. Learned basic literacy (to help with running the household)
  4. Can cope when men are at war
Lycurgus
1. Famous king of Sparta.
  1. May be fictional.
2. Ruled Sparta for 8 months and left to allow his nephew to become king. Later returned to Sparta bringing new laws.
3. His biography was written by Plutarch.
4. Lycurgus traveled to the oracle at Delphi who gave him instructions on decrees he should make.
  1. Education
  2. Goverment
  3. Economics
  4. Morality
5. He established the Gerousia to stabilise Sparta.
6. Land was redistributed so each Spartan got a farm; worked by Helots.
7. Money
  1. Gold and silver were banned.
  2. Legal currency was low valued brittle iron dipped in vinegar.
    1. So Spartans could not buy expensive things.
8. Eating
  1. All citizens ate the same in mess halls.
  2. The rich dined with the poor.
  3. Community
9. Houses
  1. Ceilings were made with axes, doors were made with saws.
  2. All houses looked the same (rough)
  3. People are equal and don't get jelous
10. He did these things so that Spartans would not love pretty things but focus on keeping the Helots at bay.
11. Legacy
  1. When Lycurgus was happy he made his friends take an oath that they would keep up his laws until he returned.
  2. The Orcale of Delphi said he had acted well.
  3. Commited suicide and his laws were upheld for 500 years.
12. A man called Alcander put out his eye. Lycurgus forgave him and Alcander became his greatest follower. Lycurgus used to throw his eye at people during debates.
13. Mocked bachelors.
War
1. Battle of the 300
  1. 100000-250000 Persian soldiers led by Xerxes.
  2. The Spartans and some Greek allies met the Persians at the hot gates where they had rebuilt a wall.
    1. (300 Spartans, 6700 Allies)
  3. Using the phalanx, they held the Persians off for two days.
  4. Ephilites told the Persians about a mountain goat pass which led them past the Spartans.
  5. 1500 including 300 Spartans stayed to face the Persians.
    1. Half-blind man returned to fight.
  6. They all died.
    1. Fought over Leonidas' body.
  7. Later Persia was defeated by Greece.
2. Persian Wars
  1. Battle of Marathon (490BC)
    1. Fought against Athens and lost (even though it was 5:1).
  2. Battle of Salams (480BC)
    1. Greek ships conquered Persian ships.
  3. Battle of Plataea (479BC)
    1. Athens and Sparta fought side-by-side and won.
3. Tactics
Other Stuff
1. Syssitia
  1. Group of 15 men who ate and fought together.
  2. Age 20 to join.
  3. Voted by putting bits of bread in a jar.
  4. Failure to secure a membership meant social rejection.
  5. Paid monthly ration of goods to feed your syssitia.
    1. Communism
  6. What they ate
    1. Black Soup (famous for bad taste)
    2. Pork
    3. Cheese, figs, fish
  7. Everything said here was confidential
  8. Had to dine there every night.
2. Krypteia
  1. Secret Police
    1. Like the SS
  2. Children of 18-19. Strongest.
  3. Murdered Helots.
  4. Every year the Ephors declared war on the Helots. The Krypteia did the killing.
  5. Made bots acustomed to killing.

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