SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND POLITICAL ORGANISATION |
* the issue of Lycurgus (the Great Rhetra)
* roles and privileges of the two kings * government: ephorate, gerousia, ekklesia * social structure: Spartiates, perioeci, ‘inferiors’, helots * role of the Spartan army * control of the helots: the military, syssitia, krypteia * artisans, helots * educational system: agoge * role and status of women: land ownership, inheritance, education |
LYKOURGOS & THE GREAT RHETRA
Lykourgos: Legendary Lawgiver?
• Ancient authors such as Herodotus and Aristotle wrote of Lykourgos as a historical figure who handed down the laws of Sparta after consulting the will of the gods. • Modern historians such as D.H. Kelly believe that that the Lykourgos initiative represents change to the Spartan way of life that occurred over a period of time. • Plutarch considered that the most important changes instituted by • Lykourgos were the Council of Elders, redistribution of the land and expulsion of alien crafts. • The banning of crafts had a devastating impact on Spartan culture and its obvious impact is seen through architecture and archaeological artefacts. Lykourgos established a military organisation, the divisions, companies of thirty and messes, as well as the Ephors and elders. By these changes they became a well ordered state” - Herodotus. |
Lycurgus of Sparta, Merry J. Blondel, 1828
Obvious anachronisms here. |
THE ROLE & PRIVILEGES OF THE KINGS
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• The two kings of Sparta are said to come from the Agiad and Eurypontids families. • The king was a chief priest, commander of the army, judge, and a lawgiver. Each of these have their stories. Remember a few. • Kings were believed to be descended from Heracles, both were generals of the army and both could influence Spartan affairs - including declarations of war. • Kings were kings for life, unless they were exiled or disposed of. These also had a few stories. Remember a few: Pleistoanax for example was exiled for supposedly taking bribe from Pericles of Athens. He withdrew after marching his army into Attica. Coincidence? Unlikely. Famous ones: Agis, Archidamus, Leonidas, Brasidas |
GOVERNMENT
Ephors
• Five magistrates called Ephors began to be elected - sources unclear exactly when, though it is known it began with only a few, which grew to 5. 5 positions suggests it matches the 5 original settlements within central Laconia. Also, odds numbers works well democratically. • These annual magistrates became chief executive of the state and could administer laws, acting as guardians of the kings and public directors of policy. • Ephors, although powerful, held office for only a year and could be outvoted by their fellow Ephors. • Ephors’ most important duties were to advise the kings and to keep them from gaining too much power. • When a king was going to battle two of the five Ephors were sent with him while the remaining three kept watch over the second king, ensuring both held true to their oath. • Consistent suggestions of corrupt activities and bribery. Assembly • The assembly consisted of all citizen males over 30 years old. • The assembly voted on laws proposed by the Gerousia and elected magistrates. It could not introduce policies. • The assembly was an important feature of Spartan life as it separated the equals (full Spartan citizens) from everyone else and involved them in government. • Once a month the members of the assembly met under the leadership of an Ephor. It was here that the Spartiates had the right to vote on issues concerning them and to elect the Ephors and the members of the Gerousia by public acclimation. Gerousia • The Gerousia consisted of the kings and 28 men over 60 years old from important families in Sparta, who were elected for life. "They had a lot of judicial powers, yet their responsibility was to ensure no radical changes were made." - Kagan • They were also a conservative political elite. • The Council of Elders were a small group of Oligarchs and election nominations to a position of the 28 was controlled by political factions within the Oligarchy. Respect and Balance Spartan government worked within terms of respect and balance. Only when this respect broke down, by someone acting too much as an individual and refusing to keep within the bounds of his place did the Spartan system come into jeopardy. EUNOMIA IS FUNDAMENTALLY LINKED TO CONTROL OF THE HELOTS SO THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS CAN BE MAINTAINED WHICH ESTABLISHES THE CONSISTENT REGIME
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Democratic elements of the political system One year limits power of ephors Power over kings Austerity promoted in Sparta, yet class inequality and wealth still present Citizenship was fundamental to inclusion in Sparta. And only for a select group. 'Homoioi', 'Equals' and 'Peers' only applies to this group of men Bettany Hughes describes this process as more democratic than Athens in some ways. You can imagine over 60's running Australia & how much wouldn't see progression with the times. Unwillingness to change the constitution is one of many reasons suggested for Sparta's downfall. EUNOMIA links all Syllabus dot points together. The 'Spartan System' is defined by this term. |
Ephor crap from 300
This image is closer to the truth. And all ephors are identical twins... apparently : )
This image is of Athenians assembling for voting at the pynx, but I wouldn't imagine it is very dissimilar.
Phryne before the Areopagus by Jean-Leon Gerome c.1861
She was put on trial for impiety and exposed befoer the jury... again Athenian, but you get the idea of old conservative men : ) BTW she got off the charges! |
SOCIAL STRUCTURE: SPARTIATES, PERIOIKOI, 'INFERIORS', HELOTS
Pamela Bradley - The Greeks
History Channel's Rise and Fall of the Spartans
Weren't the Spartans not interested in art to concentrate on training and war? Well the archaeology points to the fact that at least the perioikoi Laconic art was not entirely as amateurish as the Spartan myth promotes.
Image: history.com Lakadamonian officer, mercenary and shield painter. Image: militar.org.ua
Greek slaves working in mines. Not particularly Spartan but helot's role in mining was paramount to materials and supply.
Image: warhistoryonline. com |
'Dorians' were a tribe that invaded the Peloponnese in the 10th century and displaced the Achaeans. Forbidden to have a trade or business Main argument is was there equality in the Spartiate class? Hypomeiones = poverty Neodamodeis = rewarded helots Paertheniai = illegitimate Spartans Tresantes = cowards Mothakes = playmates (could be sons of inferiors Villages of Laconia = perioikoi and Messenia = slaves Vital economic role Responsible to Sparta in judicial system Physical protection for trade Compulsory military service if requested Cannot be bought and sold Kept any extra produce Laconian helots mostly accepting of Spartan law Messenian helots the most denigraded |
Social Structure
• The poet Tyrtaeus wrote that originally Sparta contained three main tribes: the Hylleis, Dymanes and Pamphyloi. • It is believed that by the 7th century BC Sparta was divided into five Obai. • By the 5th century there were three distinct social classes in Sparta; Spartiates (equals, peers), Perioikoi (‘Dwellers around’) and Helots. Spartiates/Equals/Peers/Homoioi • To belong to the Spartiate class the main criteria was ownership of a plot of public land (kleros), membership in a military mess, sharing of common meals (syssitia) and completion of education and military training requirements (agoge). • This group formed military elite in Spartan society. They were a highly trained warrior class, holding all political power. • 10,000 citizens under population control - mostly to keep land distribution fair and easy to manage. Outcasts • It was disgraceful in Spartan society to lose citizenship. • Criminals or cowards were deprived by a special decree of their rights to vote and hold office. • They had to sit alone at festivals, were unable to marry, and wear a special dress and go unshaven. Inferiors were those who lost their citizenship. • Other disaffected people in society were the parthenai, the children of unmarried Spartan mother and probably Spartan fathers. Perioikoi • Refers to the free inhabitants of the many communities scattered throughout Lakonia and Messenia and along the coastline of Sparta. Estimated 50,000 people. • These communities were autonomous and answerable to the greater state of Sparta. Aphorus believed that the Perioikoi emerged after the conquest of Lakonia. • The Perioikoi were involved in mining, manufacture and commerce; all mineral and marine resources of Lakonia and Messene were in their hands. • They procured the metals and manufactured the weapons that kept the Spartan military machine operating. • Pliny and Herodotus say that they made shoes, purple garments, and objects of wood and iron. • The Ephors were responsible for supervising them, and could put them to death without trial. Archaeological evidence of Perioikoi • Most Lakonian craftsmen were Perioikoi. They enjoyed a feudal like system. Evidence of their craft includes: - a bronze figurine of Hermes and an engraved gem found at Gytheum - a limestone funerary relief dating from the 5th century BC found at Pertine - a bronze figurine of a hoplite dedicated to Apollo Maleatas found at modern Kosmas - a coin hoard at Kythera, a herm of a ram-headed deity at Las - a marble hero relief, a bronze figurine of a bull, and a black figure krater from Kalamata. YOU SEE? = AROUND SPARTA Duties of the Perioikoi • Representatives of communities had to go and pay respects when a king passed on. • Major obligation was military service; they provided hoplites for the army but did not undergo the training system of Spartans. • Until about 465BC Perioikoi and Spartans served separately, “...with them went 5000 picked Lakedaemonian troops drawn from the outlying towns’ – HERODOTUS The Helots • Slaves owned by Sparta. Guestimates of 100,000 people • They were owned by the state and not individuals, but still worked for individuals on their estates. • The tasks of the Helots were mainly agricultural; they were required to hand over half of their produce to their Spartiate masters. • The helots had some marriage rights, but generally they had no legal or political standing in the community. • Helots accompanied Spartiates to war, taking part mainly in skirmishes. Ancient sources indicate that the Spartans feared the helots because they were so large in number. “…Spartans did, rightly or wrongly, genuinely fear helot revolt.” – Cartledge Their importance from 640BC is paramount. Most decisions would only be made with a precaution against helot revolt.
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ROLE OF THE SPARTAN ARMY
Hoplite Warfare
• Spartans relied on hoplite armies. A hoplite was a heavily armed infantryman, named after the shield he carried, the Hoplon. • This round wooden shield was concave on the inside and faced with bronze on the outside. It was approximately a metre wide and weighed about 7 kilograms. • The classical hoplite wore a cloth tunic covered by a bronze breastplate. • A helmet made of thin bronze often decorated with a crest of Horsehair. • Bronze greaves on his lower leg for protection. • They carried a long spear almost three metres used for thrusting not throwing. • They were trained to fight in formations not individually. The success of the Spartan army depended largely on the discipline of the troops in the massed hoplite formation, or Phalanx, which was usually eight or more ranks deep. • The aim was to break the opposition’s line by deploying a group-and-shove technique. • The Spartans were remarkably successful in this type of warfare... until Plataea : ) The Spartan Army
• The whole of Spartan society was aimed at producing strong fighting forces of great warriors who were willing to die for Sparta. • In 669BC at the battle of Hysiai, the Spartans were decisively defeated by the Argives and in response to this humiliation, developed their militaristic state - the is the Sparta we commonly know. • Throughout the 6th and into the 5th century the army was comprised purely of Spartiates. • Towards the end of the 5th century non-Spartiates began to perform military duties. • The Spartan army was organised according to the age divisions specified in the agoge. • Originally there were five divisions called ‘Morai’, later increased to six Morai. 500-900 comprised a mora. Another group within the Spartan army was the Hippeis (knights), a picked group of 300 men who seem to have been the guard of the kings. |
8 ranks deep, flutes issuing the march orders, noting that shields not the Spartan 'L, but a clever depiction. Times this number of troops by 100 and you have a Spartan army. 1/3 homoioi, 2/3 helot.
Image from ancientgreekbattles.net @pinterest
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MUST WATCH - THE SPARTAN MYTH
Spartan society has been told and retold as a society of warrior elites. A state run, holplite, super soldier program. Most scholars agree ithe truth is much more dull - from its misplaced labels of gender equality to democratic freedoms. But the oft-praised martial society was neither as warlike nor as free as is often imagined. Sparta often preferred diplomacy to deploying and was dominated by a singular motive—the preservation of its systemic slavery.
CONTROL OF THE HELOTS: THE MILITARY, SYSSITIA, KRYPTEIA
Graphic novel 'THREE', by Image Comics
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The syssition
• Each Spartiate had to make a monthly contribution from the produce of his Kleros, to the military mess. • Failure to do this would result in loss of citizenship. • Men shared communal meals in military barracks, each contributing with their share of produce. • Syssitia is the general name for the common meals. This was again attributed to Lykourgos. "...strict rules had to be observed at the common meal, groups were mixed of ages so that the young men might learn from their elders." - PLUTARCH ‘Considering that this would reduce disobedience of orders to a minimum’ – XENOPHON Secret Police • Plutarch says that as part of their training specially chosen bands of young men were sent into the country side to deal with the helots • Form of guerrilla warfare against helot population, to not only control, but also to keep the population in a state of terror. • Not a lot of ancient evidence exists on the process of selection, training, assessment. Mostly because of it’s name, meaning “hidden” or “secret” this lack of evidence is not surprising. “Killing the helots who stood out for their physique and strength” –PLUTARCH "Annually à Krypteia would choose most sensible and well regarded à send them out to country to kill helots found on the roads." - PLUTARCH "Aim ‘was to murder selected troublemaking helots and spread terror among the rest." - PAUL CARTLEGE “The purpose of the krypteia… to ‘blood’ young Spartans by asking them to stalk and strangle a victim.” - RICHARD TALBERT "A mountainous warfare and survivalist training program was designed to expose soldiers to harsh conditions..." - PLATO |
EDUCATION SYSTEM: AGOGE
• At birth each Spartan boy was inspected, any with deformities or weakness was exposed on Mt Taygetus.
• A government official, the ‘paidonomos’ was in charge of the Agoge. • Plato believed that Spartans were educated ‘not by persuasion but by violence’ - PLATO. • They were taught physical and military exercises as well as the basics of reading and writing. Stages of Spartan education0-7: Under supervision of mother.
7-12: In the care of the state living in military barracks. Began learning skills. Military, physical, reading, writing, at age 10 they could learn dancing, music, athletics. 12-18: Taught how to steal and continued living in barracks, their clothing was limited to one garment, learnt games of endurance and skill, barefoot, exercising naked, having short hair, sleep on beds of rushes. 18-23: Enrolled as an eiren, or prefect/overseer, this was a stage similar to the cadet corps. Able to serve in the army but not in the front line. Able to marry. 23-30: Full time soldiers. 30: citizen and soldier, able to live at home and grow hair, still had meals in messes. Control of the Helots
• Herodotus estimates the helots outnumbered Spartan citizens seven to one. Modern scholars debate between ten to fifteen to one.
• The large population was a constant threat from 640BC. • Revolts happened regularly and were timed when Sparta was weak - earthquake, on campaign. • Ephors declared war annually to reinstate helot subjugation. • Krypteia targeted intelligent, influential or rebellious helots. Their membership was from the most promising in the agoge. Stories of the Agoge
Herodotus tells of how the agoge scattered themselves in the countryside by day and hid themselves and rested. They then waited until nights and went down to roads to kill any helot who was alone. The sturdier helot the better and more prestigious.
Plutarch retells a story of Thucydides on how Spartan would control the helots. At one time they requested that any helot who felt they had been brave enough and contributed significantly to the state to come forward for a laurel crown and ceremony. They entered a temple and were never seen again. Again from Plutarch, he talks of boys homosexual relationships. One boy let out a disgraceful cry in a fighting contest. The ephors fined his lover. "Men eagerly pursued joint efforts to perfect each others character." |
State controlled birth - only applied to the 10,000 homoioi
Elitism = giving privilege, but demanding obedience Often called the "stages" of the agoge Note: a lot of conjecture about rites of passage and purpose of training 640BC - The Second Messenian War It's good to reference quickly an example from the sources |
3 generations. Image: Pinterest @ alexiou
Images of Spartans exercising lifted from different Amphora - larkin.net.au
Scene from 'Alexander' - Directors Cut 2004.
Anachronisms are here aplenty, but my own sensationalist dreams picture that the agoge would be something similar : ) Plutarch tells the story of a young boy. "So seriously did Spartan children go about their stealing, that a boy, having stolen a fox and hid it under his cloak, let it tear out his guts with its teeth and claws and died right there, rather than let it be seen."
Image: ? @ Pinterest |
Spartan Training. From the History Channel's: Last Stand of the 300
ROLE AND STATUS OF WOMEN: LAND OWNERSHIP, INHERITANCE, EDUCATION
Bronze figure: The running girl. 6th century BC. Image: britishmuseum.org
BBC's Horrible Histories - Don't Tell the Spartan Bride
(use the link below) Votive offering. Male and female. Likely a tribute to the dead. Spartan mid 6th century BC from Chrysapha. Image: Museum of Sparta
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Spartan Women
• Everything in Spartan society served a military end, even women. Spartan women were encouraged to play an active social role. • The main function was to be, "...mothers and wives." - XENOPHON • Spartan women were educated to be proper mothers of warriors in a warrior state. The education of Spartan Girls • It is assumed that the girls were taught the basics of reading and writing, they learnt at home with their mothers. • Girls were organised into bands for team games and choral singing. “Lykourgos prescribed physical training for the female sex no less than for the male.” – XENOPHON Marriage Customs • Spartans married within their own social class. A form of betrothal took place in Sparta, and dowries and considerations of wealth were of importance. • The marriage ceremony involved marriage by capture, in which a man would choose a bride and carry her off “A bridesmaid… laid her down alone on a mattress in the dark. The male would come after completing his meal in the mess hall, undo her belt, lift her and carry her to the bed.” – PLUTARCH • It is thought that some sort of pre-nuptial wedding feast took place among the women. • Married life for a young Spartan has been described as ‘a trial marriage’ and if the wife was barren then a new marriage contract would be arranged. • A Spartan couple lived apart, they got together rarely and did so covertly, this was done to test self-control and to make sure the partners were fertile physically. • Wife sharing was not unknown, both Plutarch and Xenophon refer to the practice. “And consent of her husband first obtained, raise up children for himself through her” – XENOPHON Women and property in Sparta • Though they could not vote, they played an important role in the transfer of property. • A woman would inherit a part of her family’s estate, however she did not own it and it would be passed to her offspring. This occurred because men were so often at war that women had to manage estates. ARISTOTLE noted that women in Sparta owned two-fifths of the land. • Spartan women were much more independent than their Athenian counterparts, for they mingled freely with men and had more control over their financial situation. Women in Religion • The most famous cult centre in Sparta is that of the goddess Artemis Orthia. This goddess was associated with childbirth, and large quantities of votive offerings have been found at the sanctuary. • They were suspected to be brought by women who were barren, pregnant or survived childbirth. • When a young Spartan woman married, mothers made sacrifices to Aphrodite and Hera. • Tombstones reserved with names on them only for women who died in childbirth = role and importance. Perioikoi and Helot women • Little is known; we can only presume that they carried out menial tasks and led lives of hard work and drudgery, supporting the men. • Little is known of participation in burial customs, and how women themselves were buried. |