THE ECONOMY |
* land ownership: agriculture, kleroi, helots
* technology: weapons, armour, pottery * economic roles of the periokoi (‘dwellers around’) and helots * economic exchange: use of iron bars, trade |
Agriculture in the Spartan civilisation was the foundation of the economy. Then there were the helots, they were the state own labour that helped farming important products for consumption and exports. One thing that was important to the Spartans were olive and olive trees.
LANDOWNERSHIP: AGRICULTURE, KLEROI, HELOTS
Spartiates and Property: the Kleros
• All land controlled by the Spartans was divided in allotments; each Spartiate held a portion of the land (kleros) and had an equal vote in the assembly. • Spartans were not allowed by law to engage in public activities such as trade. • A Spartan could gain an estate either by being granted an allotment from the state or by receiving an inheritance from his father. • Spartiates had economic freedom and did not have to concern themselves with earning a living, but could concentrate their energies on warfare. • “Lykourgos persuaded the citizens to pool all the land and then redistribute it afresh” – Plutarch. • Aristotle notes that land distribution caused poverty due to large populations and the land being combined together through time by people giving and bequeathing it. • Stephen Hodkinson explains that ownership of land in Sparta was never equal and became more unequal over time. • The number of Spartiates rapidly declined in the 5th and 4th century BC • Spartiates who lost their land were no longer equals and were known as ‘hypomeiones’ – inferiors. 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. • Plutarch writes that 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. • ‘Considering that this would reduce disobedience of orders to a minimum’ – Xenophon, in his explanation for the reason of the syssition. |
Olive smashing
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TECHNOLOGY: WEAPONS, ARMOUR, POTTERY
Weapons
• Made of bronze. • Equip hoplite forces. • Phalanx: each soldier equipped with bronze helmet, hoplon (shield), cuirass (breastplate), greaves (shin-pads) and bronze-tipped spear and dagger. Pottery • Most famous: Laconian III. • Fitzhardinge: “interested in human subjects and in telling a story.” • Exported throughout Greek world. • Little is known of painters and potters. • May have been pursued by poorer Spartiates. • Arcesilas Cup: (opposite) shows trade scenes with King of Cyrene. • pre 5th century pottery was very skilled. |
ECONOMIC ROLES OF THE PERIOIKOI (DWELLERS AROUND) AND HELOTS
PERIOIKOI
• Engaged in mining, manufacture and commerce. • Controlled all mineral and marine resources of Laconia and Messenia. • Lead figurines found at Sanctuary of Orthia probably came from iron ore mined at Neapolis. • Produced metals and manufactured weapons for military. • Herodotus: made shoes, purple garments, wood and iron objects. • Gytheum: main centre for imports and exports, fisherman, shipwrights and naval personnel. HELOTS • Helots did all the farming which freed the Spartiates to pursue their military responsibilities. • They provided the important means by which a citizen would keep their contribution to the syssition consistent. • Surplus was used to pay the perioikoi for their trade materials like bronze and weapons. Helots lived off the remaining. • As for the females, helot women did the spinning and general house duties which allowed the Spartan women their privileged lifestyle. |
"Some crafts were scorned by the perioikoi and prohibited to the Spartiates: tanners and tinkers, cobblers and coopers, masons and dyers. As a master craftsman, able to retain 100% of their earnings, these helots would have been in a position to found families, build houses and accumulate wealth."
"Other young men unable or unwilling to embark on such a slow, hard career, would have sought employment as labourers for the Spartan army or state, or to individuals. Thus they could have become the personal attendants to Spartan hoplites or agricultural day - labourers, going from estate to estate. Others would have worked for wages as teamsters and mule-drivers for the Spartan army or as construction workers, bath attendants, gardeners and repairmen for the Lacedaemonian government. Still others could have found employment in perioikoi factories and business - as miners, quarry workers, rowers, etc." - Dr Helen Schrader, Sparta's Happy Helots: A Closer Look at Helot Society
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Following a defeat to Argos in 669BC, the Spartans established their control over Messene for an abundance of land and slaves. That is the nature of the Spartan system. When it went wrong, it was fixed. They were determined to avoid the embarrassment of Hysia = Messenian slaves for food and warriors for Sparta. By the 5th century we are left with the Spartan system as it most well known. This only lasted 200 years.
ECONOMIC EXCHANGE: USE OF IRON BARS, TRADE
Use of iron bars
• Lycurgus, introduced iron bars as coinage to enforce and ensure eunomia • Issue: modern day scholars believe this is a myth • Suggested that Spartans must have used some Hellenic currency rather than iron • Needed to pay for mercenaries and send embassies abroad Trade • Carried out mostly by perioeci • Conducted through port at Gytheum (46km from Sparta) • Waters at Gytheum à shellfish, murex (used to make purple dye) • Main exports: wool, wine, oil, pottery and bronzes |