Greek Organisation and Command Flashcards
Who are the Eurypontids and Agiads?
The two ruling families of Sparta
Who is Herakles?
The Greek God of the gymnasium
What is the Gerousia?
Council of Spartan elders
Who are the Ephors?
Spartan ‘overseers’ who watched the King and reported on his progress- they could remove him from the throne
What is a Neodamodes?
‘New citizens’
- What a freed Helot would become
What was a regiment?
- Athenian army was split into 10
- One from each of the Athenian tribes
What was a lochoi?
A smaller group that made up part of a regiment
Who were the Spartan Kings?
- One from each of the ruling families (Euryontids and the Agiads)
- Thought to be descended from Herakles
What did the Spartan Kings do, and how much power did they have?
- Leaders of the military, one one would always lead the army on campaign whilst the other stayed behind in Sparta to govern
- Religious leaders, responsible for performing rituals and sacrifices for the Gods
- Did not have absolute authority- the gerousia would have more power than them, and they could also be removed from their roles by Ephors
- Lead from the frontlines in battle
How was the Spartan army divided?
- Large regiments (mora)
- Each regiment was divided into small subdivisions with their own commander
Who was in control of the Spartan army?
- The King
- There were also senior officers (Taxiarchs) who were directly responsible to the King and may have acted as advisors
What were the names of the different Spartan subdivisions and who led them?
Mora- led by a Polemarch
Lochos- led by a lochagos
Penekostys- led by a Pentekonter
Enemotia- led by an Enomotarch
How many men were in an Enomotarch?
- About 40
- It would contain the members of 2 or 3 syssitions
Who were Perioikoi and what would they do during peace time?
- Non-Spartans who had been subjugated by Sparta, but were allowed to live in their own small, self-governed communities
- Craftsmen, fishermen and hunters
What would Perioikoi do during war?
- Act as an Auxiliary army- wear hoplite armour and fight in their own phalanxes
- They’d also use crafting skills to repair weapons and armour on campaign
What would helots do in peacetime and in war?
- In peacetime, they’d do manual labour
- On campaign, they’d serve as cooks, equipment carriers and message runners
- They could also fight as lightly armed troops, but weapon stores would be carefully guarded to avoid an armed uprising
What was the motivation for Helots to fight for Sparta?
FEAR
- Krypteia terrorised helot communities and let them know that any disobedience would result in their death
CHANCE TO ESCAPE THEIR LIVES
- Sparta had a custom of rewarding helots who showed particular bravery in battle
- They could earn their freedom and become a Neodamodes, where they’d be similar in status to Perioikoi
What were the support roles in the Spartan army?
Soothsayers
Surgeons
Flute players
Who would have lead Athenian regiments, and what else would they do?
- A Strategos would be elected each year by each tribe
- Ten Strategoi would meet to discuss matters of military strategy
What were the smaller sub-divisions in the Athenian army, and who else would have power in each regiment?
- Lochoi
- Each regiment also had a Taxiarch, who’d be the second in command
