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Ancient > Sparta > Flashcards

Sparta Flashcards

1
Q

Geographical setting

A
  • situated in central Laconia- fertile valley of the Eurotas River
  • surrounded by three mountains: Taygetus mountain, Parnon mountain range, Arcadian range
  • connected to northern part of Greece by the Corinthian isthmus
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2
Q

Natural resources

A

Sparta had warm climate and light rainfall and good agriculture in Laconia

  • crops: barley, wheat, grapes
  • shellfish = purple dye for clothes
  • bees = provided honey and wax
  • graze sheep and goats for milk = cheese, skins, wool hair, fat and meat
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3
Q

Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia

A
  • located on West Bank of Eurotas
  • consists of a walk enclosing an altar and a small temple, ritual fluffing at the altar

Important finds: clay masks, Ivory carvings, lead figurines

  • inscriptions bears dedications by visitors who wine contests in honour of Artemis
  • bone objects dated to the archaic period, Ivory plaques and combs (religious ceremonies/ votive offerings)
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4
Q

Sanctuary of Apollo at Amyklai

A

Important finds:

  • most important festival Hyakinthos took place
  • decorated with relief representations and plastic composition
  • tomb altar of the local God Hyakinthos was used as the pedestal of the statue
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5
Q

Menelaion

A

Near bank of Eurotas River

Important finds:

  • cistern was built to provide water supply to the shrine
  • small Laconian cases, terracottas, iron objects, lead and bronze items discovered
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6
Q

Lycurgus

A

Man who established political, social and economical reforms of the Spartan society
Disagreement to his existence (man or God) laws significantly changed Spartan life

“Owe their prosperity” to Lycurgus - Plutarch

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7
Q

Great Rhetra

A

Oracle from the shrine of Apollo at Delphi that induced a series of wide reforms in Sparta

  • not written down
  • wanted it to be imprinted in the hearts of ppl stronger than written laws
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8
Q

Lycurgus reforms (part 1)

A

Establishment of senate

  • 28men who had power equal to two royal houses of Sparta
  • balanced out power between monarchy and democracy = stable gov
  • ppl and rulers respected each other and were allowed to vote = more balanced power and minimised corruption
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9
Q

Lycurgus reforms (part 2)

A

Division of land and wealth = dispel inequality

  • Lycurgus persuaded citizens to gather up land and redistribute it afresh
  • expelled crime, arrogance, wealth and poverty
  • resolved issue of money between the many destitute ppl and few wealthy ppl
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10
Q

Lycurgus reforms (part 3)

A

Common messes = better equality

  • meals eaten together creates a sense of community and unity between the ppl
  • significant bc rich could not spend lives at home stuffing themselves with delicacies removing gluttony and greed from society
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11
Q

Lycurgus reforms (part 4)

A

Reformation of time limit spent at war

  • reduce their chances of being defeated and never gave enemy time to learn their tactics
  • strong military with a history of successful campaigns

Plutarch- “the legacy of the science of gov”

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12
Q

Religious role of kings

A
  • expected to sacrifice to God Apollo each month
  • priests of the city
  • held office as long as they maintained pleasure of the gods and were blamed if anything went wrong
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13
Q

Military role of kings

A
  • supreme army commander
  • personal body guard of 100 men
  • Kings had unlimited power of life and death over troops of his army
  • two ephors kept an eye on the Kings activities
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14
Q

Judicial roles of kings

A

Responsible for matters pertaining to public highways, legal matters regarding adoption of children

Power to decide upon the marriage partner of a heiress whose father died

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15
Q

Privileges of kings

A
  • kings death public businesses cease for 10 days ppl expected to wear mourning clothes at funeral
  • receive skins of animals sacrificed in religious ceremonies
  • received best seats in festivals
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16
Q

Gerousia (Council of Elders)

A

Involved 28 Spartiates (over 60) and two kings

  • had power over the decisions of the ecclesia
  • acted as judges in criminal cases
  • elected by process of acclamation
  • held position for life
17
Q

Ephorate (ephors)

A

Held office for one yr (oligarchy- rule of the few)

  • 5 ppl over 30years
  • controlled agoge, instructed krypteia
  • dealt with foreign envoys
  • could summon King for trial
  • controlled public finances
  • attended court hearings and judged criminal matters
  • had an official residence
18
Q

Ecclesia (assembly)

A

Democracy (rule of the ppl)

  • only Spartan ppl over 30
  • meet once a month during the feast of Apollo
  • decided whether to go to war
  • elect ephors by the loudest cheer
19
Q

Spartiates

A

Elite class of society trained in ways of a soldier

  • submit to the Spartan system of education and training
  • be a member of the mess
  • hold office and vote in assembly
  • owned land and paid community fees
20
Q

Syssition

A

Mess- where meals are shared

  • age 20 men able to join
  • created strong bonds of comradeship between members
21
Q

Perioeci

A

Referred to as “the dwellers around”

  • not allowed to take part in farming
  • trained and educated
  • family role extremely limited and had arranged marriages
  • had legal protection could not own land or vote
  • life was good bc essentially free to do as they wished and enjoyed higher status then helots
22
Q

Helots

A

Slaves- not owned by individual masters but by the state

  • no legal or political rights
  • notable act of bravery could bring he lot freedom
  • could own some land

Function: work and produce food

23
Q

Krypteia

A

“secret police”
Rite of passage for young Spartan men ordered to the countryside equipped with only a dagger and basic rations

“Made their way to roads and murdered any helot whom they caught”- Plutarch

24
Q

Inferiors

A

Other Spartans who did not fit into the category of Spartiate, perioeci or helot

25
Q

Hoplite

A

Heavily armed spearman

  • wore a thin bronze Corinthian helmet, bronze greaves to protect his legs and a bronze linen cuirass
  • carried a spear and sword used for thrusting not throwing
26
Q

Phalanx

A

Long block of soldiers often eight ranks deep

- organised in “files” so if a man fell his place could quickly be taken by one behind

27
Q

Control of the helots

A
  • military enslaved helots and seized lands
  • helots had no rights and protection resented their status
  • Spartan state ritually declared war on helots organised raids to control helots using terror
  • army could not be away for long periods of time due to chance of helot revolt
28
Q

Agoge

A

Education system was believed to produce obedience to authority and ability to endure pain in order to achieve victory in battle

29
Q

Education of boys (part 1)

A
  • Age 7 left home to live in barracks
  • introduced to physical skills and hardships
    “Education involved them going barefoot, wearing one garment the whole year, and going hungry”- Xenophon
  • harsh conditions allowed them to develop skills for war including learning survival techniques
30
Q

Education of boys (part 2)

A

13-18 yo
- discipline and training became severe, predominantly physical
- Plutarch = story about how a Spartan boy once stole a fox cub his in his cloak and the animal started biting out his insides rather than revealing his theft the child collapsed and died
24-30
- eligible to be front troops
- King select 300 knights to be his personal troop

31
Q

Education of boys (part 3)

A

30th yr
- man considered a full citizen and exercise political rights
“Took a great deal of their hair” Plutarch
- growing hair suggests physical vigour
- now allowed to dine at the mess for the rest of their life

32
Q

Education of girls

A

Less vigorous than boys and were organised into groups

  • Plutarch = education aimed at producing healthy bodies
  • girls exercise with boys in sports such as running, javelin and ball games
  • develop women to undergo the pains of childbearing and harden their bodies
33
Q

Spartan women

A
  • primary function: bearers of children and mothers of warriors
  • higher status than other Greek women more independence and control
  • great influence in the economic life of Sparta could manage estates
34
Q

Main role of Spartan women

A

Xenophon “for Spartan women, childbearing was the most important function”

  • wives and mothers of citizens
  • girls exercised so that they would be a fit and healthy mother and able to produce sons capable of defending Sparta
  • importance can be seen- if mother died in childbirth her name would be inscribed on her tomb

Ancient (2 decks)

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