Sparta Flashcards
How does the krypteia enforce subservience of helots to citizens?
Plut. lyk 28:
They “cut the throats of any helots they found”
customary for boys to target biggest helots - reduces population of viable fighters/ringleaders
What did sparta do when they thought helots would revolt after Pylos/sphacteria?
Killed the 2000 who had given best military service behind temple after telling them they would be freed - thought this would get rid of most able fighters as threats (Thuc. 4.80)
What did Plut. and the school of aristotle agree about actions of krypteia?
They would kill helots at night
Why were spartans eager to send Brasidas on campaign (domestic)?
“the spartans were also glad to have a good excuse for sending some of their helots out of the country [because]… they feared a revolution” (Thuc. 4.80)
How did spartans show young boys how not to act?
Plut. helots made to drink neat wine, get drunk and sing and dance demeaningly
How stop helots using own arms against them at home?
“a spartiate at home takes out the handle of his shield” (kritias, on slavery 2.87) - constant paranoia of revolt
Who was Kritias?
Athenian oligarch, lived 460 - 403. member of the spartan instituted 30 tyrants of athens
What do spartans always carry with them on campaign?
Why?
Spear - stops helots taking and revolting or if they revolt with other weapons it can be subdued more effectively (Kritias, on slavery 2.87)
What is the opinion of helots towards their overlords?
“helots would gladly eat their masters raw” (Xen. hell) due to brutal treatment - shows indoctrination of those who lived in sparta that helots were always trying to kill them
Collectively, how did spartans stop armed helot insurrection in the field?
“by day sentries were stationed by the arms dumps looking inwards, for they watch out for friends not enemies” (Xen. lac pol 12) - note use of “friends” not helots; Xen never uses term in writing because Athenians didn’t like enslaving Greeks
What was the proportion of helots to citizens at platea given by herodotus?
5000 spartans and 35,000 helots “seven serving each man” (9.28)
What became of the helots serving under brasidas?
they were freed and settled becoming known as the Brasideans
What did the helot population allow women to do?
Unintentionally, women were given unrivalled freedom compared to the rest of Greece, not having to work and essentially running the country while the men were away.
Arguably, they had more freedom than men.
What does Tyrtaus say about helots?
they were forced to work “like asses suffering under heavy loads, by painful force compelled to bring their masters half of all the broduce that the soil brought forth”
Why didn’t spartan women work?
They would train physically, but “there were enough female slaves [helots] to produce clothing” (Xen lac pol 1)
Why did the helots and periokoi have to do all the useful work?
“only activities that contributed to the freedom of the state were regarded to be permissible occupations” (Plut. lyk 22) thought to discourage lust for money
How did the existence of helots impact Spartan reputation?
They were allowed to be the great military leaders since thy devoted all hours to fighting but their stance as “liberators of Hellas” was endangered by the enslavement of fellow Greeks
How do helots allow spartan military to flourish?
Let them constantly train by not having to farm and by perpetually being at war with them.
For spartans, “war brought relief from training for war” (Plut. lyk 22)
How did the helot revolt of 465 contribute to eventual start of the peloponnesian war?
Sparta feared that Athens would spread ideas of freedom and democracy among helots and citizens so they sent them away when they came to help after the great earthquake. this deeply offended them (Thuc. 1.102) and worsened tensions - isolationist policy
What did the Ephors do to helots as a whole every year and why?
Ephors “make a formal declaration of war on the helots, so that their murder would never involve religious pollution” (Plut. lyk 28) allows them to train for killing and keep under control without blood guilt.
How is all decision making in sparta helot centric?
“most spartan institutions have been designed with a view to security against the helots” (Thuc.) - constantly feared revolt
How did Lyk. prevent pollution by foreign ideas and keep helot threat under control?
he “did not grant spartiates permission to be away from the city and travel freely” (plut lyk 27) being constantly near let them keep a close hold on uprisings and confinement to the peloponnese maintained the indoctrination of spartan values and political system (Ie. ruled by diarchy, military system, suppression of fellow Hellenes)
Why were Perioikoi important to Spartan economy?
Since Sparta “banned their [citizens] involvement in any manual craft” (Plut. lyk 24)
Any exports were produced by them and any production/intellectual work was maintained by them
What was Agis able to do on campaign?
When agis was a t deceleration with his army, “he had the power to send troops wherever he wished, to raise fresh troops and levy money” (Thuc. 8.5.2)
What implies the king is autonomous on campaign?
Xen lac pol 13:
“All decisions stem from the king”
How is power of kings and commanders checked in campaign?
Ephors (2) go on campaign to make sure everyone behaves appropriately (Xen lac. Pol 13) - shows decrease in power over period
What changed with cleomenes and demaratus?
Both kings used to go on campaign, but since an argument broke out between the two and everyone deserted the battle, now one had to stay in Sparta (Hdt. 5.75)
What shows power of kings to dwindle over time?
By Xen. Time, kings had no power over non military matters - “sending out delegations to friends or foes is not his business” apparently as not to distract him but more likely to insure against despotism
What gave the kings the power to make decisions and suggestions?
The great rhetra gave the ‘founder leaders’ the task of making tribes and obes and to create a council of 30 - the gerousia of which they were part and gave them the the ability to vote on matters and lead decisions/polls in the apella
An example of king exercising power to put forward motions and not using crooked choice?
Archidamus addressed the Appela in 432 to convince the allies and Spartans not to war with Athens (“we have no public funds” - Thuc. ) because they were poor and navally weaker.
He failed to convince them when sthenelaidas got them to vote by moving to each side of the room rather than acclamation (more democratic later on)
Not using crooked choice to override people suggest kings had the power but possibly feared revolt if it was used
