Module 6: Sparta Flashcards

1
Q

Who was Herodotus

A

484-425BC, Greek Historian, author of The Histories, accounting the wars between Greece and Persia from early 5th century BC. Travelled for info orally.

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2
Q

Aristotle

A

384-322 BC, Greek philosopher and scientist; pupil of Plato. Writings form base of Western philosophy. He analyses the Spartan form of government and its strengths and weaknesses.

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3
Q

Plutarch

A

AD 46-120, Greek biographer. Travelled widely, visited Sparta. His Parallel Lives is a moral essay comparing the lives and noble deeds of famous Greeks and Romans.

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4
Q

Mount ranges of Sparta

A

East Parnon, Taygetos - act as fortification.

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5
Q

Materials of buildings

A

Early buildings were timber, stone was used for religious.

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6
Q

What plants were grown and cattle grazed

A

Wheat, barley, olives and grapes
Sheep and goats.

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7
Q

Info on the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia

A

East of Acropolis between village of Limnai and Eurotus. Religious centre to teach young men in Sparta - discipline to survive.

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8
Q

What’s the problem with Lycrugus to modern scholars

A

Can’t tell if he was a man or a set of initiatives that revolutionised Sparta.

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9
Q

Quote: Fitzhardinge - The Spartans, Thames and Hudson 1980

A

“He was probably a primitive local hod with a shrine by Eurostars who was adopted by the Spartan hoplites”.

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10
Q

What’s the Rhetra?

A

Declaration reflecting on oral tradition and law by Spartans based on oracles.

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11
Q

Significance of the Great Rhetra

A

It founded the spartan constitution appointing 2 instead of 1 king, limiting their power and establishing the Gerousia.

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12
Q

Kings role in religion

A

The descendants of Heracles and head priests.

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13
Q

Kings judicial roles

A

Lawmakers with Gerousia, maintained condition of roads and buildings.

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14
Q

Kings military role

A

Commander-in-chief of army, 100 guards plus 2 ephors, first to enter, last to leave - gets % of spoils

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15
Q

Kings privileges

A

First served [double] portions at banquet. First seated for religious festivals, can own personal cattle. 10 day no business and mourning if king dies.

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16
Q

Gerousia Council

A

28 elders over 30 plus 2 kings. Consult one another and propose laws.

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17
Q

Ekklesia

A

Assembly of spartiate citizens over 30, vote on laws - can resurrect or remove at any time.

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18
Q

Five ephors

A

Elected annually by assembly, monitor constitution of kings and Ekklesias power

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19
Q

Helots

A

Born slaves and descendants from first inhabitants of area, work the land to support spartiates, can own property.

20
Q

Perioikoi

A

No spartan parents / untrained adult. Wore special clothes and had legal protection, can’t own land/property nor vote. Farmers, merchants and artisans.

21
Q

Hypomeiones/inferiors

A

Those who ‘dropped their shield in battle’, no rights and assigned to spartiate master, worked the land for spartiates.

22
Q

Spartiates/Homoioi

A

Born/adopted by spartan family. Can vote, hold office in assembly, own land pay community fees, full time soldiers.

23
Q

Agoge - 0-10days

A

Make children are inspected be elders to see if physically able to enrol.

24
Q

Agoge - 0-7yrs

A

At home, discipline taught by mum and nurse.

25
Q

Agoge - 7-12yrs

A

Boys are divided by age that increases course intensity, lived in barracks and slowly introduced to physical skills.

26
Q

Agoge 12-18yrs

A

Rigours training to become cadet solider - opportunity for the army (non-combatant service).

27
Q

Agoge 18-23yrs

A

At 19, Spartans enter the class of eirens - now combatants (not frontline). 18-20 drilled for army, could marry at 20.

28
Q

Agoge - 23-30yrs

A

24 were frontline, could be picked for corps hoplites be prestigious knights

29
Q

Agoge - 30

A

Citizens that can vote, obtain office and live with wife/family. Growing out hair shows vigour and ‘ugly from beautiful’.

30
Q

Who were boys supervised by?

A

A Paidonomos (guardian)

31
Q

How did the boys train?

A

Naked exercise, ran barefoot and did own house keeping and made bed of reeds. Stealing food was acceptable if not caught, it shows craftyness.

32
Q

Divisions of the army

A

Enomotia: 4 files of 8 men
Pentekostys: 4 Enomotia
Lochos: 2 pentekostyes
Mora: 4 lochoi

33
Q

Syssitia/messes

A

Spartiate dining groups where they eat with army comrades. Unanimous to add people, exclusion is social exclusion - expression of status, especially in elite groups. Daily attendance, except for religious or hunting duty.

34
Q

Krypteia

A

Secret police of Sparta, beat helots to remind of spartan dominance. Plutarch states krypteia choose sensible men to go at night and kill helots roaming the road.

35
Q

The military - Hippeis

A

Knights of the spartan army, 300 strong that protect the king in battle, chosen annually based on class.

36
Q

The military - Hoplites warfare

A

Heavily armed infantrymen with Hoplob shields. Wore cloth tunic with bronze armour, helmet decorated with horse hair and equipped with an iron sword.

37
Q

Military Tactic - The Phalanx

A

Tightly grouped hoplites in 8x8 with interlocked shields, used to overwhelm and break oppositions defence, vulnerable at the back but supported by skirmishers or cavalry.

38
Q

Role of women

A

To give birth to boys capable of joining the Agoge.

39
Q

Women’s rights

A

Can’t hold office, vote but can hold property’s, better freedoms compared to the rest of Greece

40
Q

Women’s training. Why?

A

Women are trained at a young age with running, wrestling, discus and javelin. Done to be strong, ease child birth and produce a fit child.

41
Q

Why could women ‘cheat’?

A

To produce young capable of joining the Agoge. Seen as a friends honour of their friend gives their wife to produce children. Sign of great friendship.

42
Q

Role of Greek women

A

Acquired to produce heirs and for sexual pleasure.

43
Q

What were women deemed as in Greece - said by Euripides

A

“A curse to mankind”.

44
Q

Rights of Greek women

A

Can’t vote, go in army, hold office or property - property is inherited by next male kinsman.

45
Q

Primary role of Greek women in households.

A

Wife and mother, their father chooses their husband, honoured most for producing a son.