Sparta Political System Flashcards
How many kings?
2
Royal family names?
Agiads and Eurypontids
Royal families descendants of?
Heracles
Duties of kings?
Military leaders (one at a time); priests of Zeus; limited judicial power i.e. adoption, marriages of orphaned heiresses, and control of public highway.
Privileges of royal families?
Children didn’t have to go to the agoge; served first at syssitions; 10 days mourning them if they die
How many ephors?
5
Ephors elected by?
Ecclesia
How many times can ephors be ephors?
Once, so there is no long term power.
Where ephors chosen from?
The eccelsia
Ephors’ duties?
Presided over ecclesia; supervised kings’ performance and accompanied them into battle; judged some law cases; dealt with foreign ambassadors; declared war on helots; chose members of krypteia; ran education system and chose the paidonomos
What was the gerousia?
The council of 28 elders over the age of 60 who served for life, plus the 2 kings so 30 people altogether.
How were gerousia members/ephors elected?
The loudest cheers the Spartiates gave when they entered the room. Judged from another room.
What were the gerousia’s jobs?
Advisors to the kings; prepared bills for ecclesia to vote on; bills in foreign policy, law changes, and war and peace; could veto ecclesia’s decision; tried criminal cases, and administered penalties i.e. death, banishment and fines.
What was the ecclesia?
Also known as the apella, it was the assembely of male Spartan citizens aged 30+
What were the duties of the ecclesia?
Met monthly under the chair of ephors; listened to the views of the ephors and/or kings; voted for or against. Their most important voted topics included: election of the gerousia and ephors; the question of war or peace; and foreign policy and signing of treaties.
