PP Notes Sparta

SPARTA
Timeline
2000 – 1600 BCE Middle Bronze Age
1600 – 1100 Late Bronze Age (Mycenaean Age)
1200 Downfall of Bronze Age
1000 Dorians settle Sparta and Laconia
800 Sparta expands to include Amyclae
776 Olympic Games founded
735 Spartans invade Messenia (First Messenian War)
720 Accession of Theopompus
490 Battle of Marathon
480 Battle of Thermopylae
478 Sparta withdraws from anti-Persian alliance
464 Great Earthquake at Sparta
445 30 Years’ Peace with Athenian alliance
431 Peloponnesian War Begins


(Mainly focus on Sparta from 480 – 360)

By the 7th century:
Laconia was ruled by the Dorians
Eurotas Valley is fertile due to the Eurotas River
LYCURGUS
Lycurgus is the ruler credited with designing the social and political system of Sparta
Plutarch claimed that it is likely he was more than one ruler (a composite)
-legend has it that upon a moment of extreme crisis he convinced Spartans to turn their society over to him, including the implementation of Agoge
SPARTAN STATE
Totalitarian
Patriarchal
Warrior based
Valued ‘might’

Two Kings (descended from Heracles) were seen as ‘first among equals’
Ephors – five advisors to the kings (often held the power)
Gerousia – council of elders who advised the assembly of citizens
Damos – Citizen assembly (warrior citizens were equals)
(Only men)

Limited to a warrior class – land ownership
Wealth which freed men up to serve in the military and focus on training
Nature of citizenship kept military elite to a small number (not even kings could survive mistakes in battle)
Forbidden to engage in trade or craft of any type

Spartan Citizens - Land owning men who were native to Sparta (had political voice and subject to military training)
Other Laconians (not Sparta born) – free and could be conscripted into military service but not citizens
Women and slaves were not part of the system: Property
Serfs (Helots) were non-people (animals)
HELOTS
-most important group in Sparta, provided economic base
-subjugated for 300 years by Spartans
-native residents of empire who were not Spartan citizens
MAKING AN ARMY



UNIFORM
COMBAT
ANDREIA – virility or manliness (courage required to fight in hoplite combat)
Hoplite – ferocious, hand to hand combat
Phalanx – infantry formation, tight knit, shields up and interlocked creating a type of protective shell over the men
VIRTUES
Courage
Blind faith
Complete obedience
Denial of pain or bodily discomfort (cold, heat, hunger)
Rejection of ‘civilized’ comfort (hence the modern use of ‘laconic’)
VALUES
Legal limit on personal possessions
Jewelry and precious metal was outlawed
Used iron (unattractive, heavy) as currency
Generated an ‘esprit de corps’ among Spartans
GLORY - Only via battle
WAR
Calculated the cost of engaging in battle
Amassed as many allies as possible
Core of the military unit were always Spartans
Led by Spartan kings
SPARTA & ATHENS