Sparta: Role of Women in Spartan Society Flashcards
How important was a woman’s opinion during the inspection of a baby immediately after birth?
There is no sources or evidence to suggest any opinion of women regarding the condition of a new born child.
What did most women do, regarding their job as child bearers for the State of Sparta, if Gorgo is to be believed?
If Gorgo is to be believed, it seems that Spartan women would forsake their husbands and have sex with helots just in case the Spartan population were to suffer a crippling blow.
How much time did Spartan girls spend on spinning and weaving?
There wasn’t any need for Spartan women to learn the craft of spinning and weaving since that was the job of helot women.
What was the main difference between the education of Spartan girls and Athenian girls?
Spartan girls were given the freedom to train their bodies in physical exercise compared to Athenian girls who only learned household duties.
What privilege was allowed a Spartan woman who died in childbirth?
Plutarch commented that one of ten exceptions allowing a name on a gravestone was of a woman who died in childbirth.
How important were cosmetics and fine fashion for Spartan women?
Spartan custom dictates that women weren’t allowed to wear cosmetics and fine fashion so I imagine they wouldn’t care for that sort of thing.
How much time did a Spartan spend with his young wife?
Why?
A Spartan would only spend a night’s time with his wife because he is supposed to to be more dedicated to the State of Sparta than to his wife.
What was the focus of education of Spartan girls?
Producing physical bodies in order to give birth to strong, healthy boys.
What was the marriage customs of Spartan woman?
A Spartan woman would have her hair shaved by a bridesmaid and dressed in male attire. Then was left waiting on a mattress for her husband.
The husband would come have sex with her, only at nights at a time.
It is only until the wife is pregnant that the husband can see her in daytime.
What was happening by the early 4th Century BC?
Spartan society was being dominated by a small amount of wealthy women and 40% of Spartan land was owned by women.
How was women able to own so much land in Sparta?
Spartan men were more dedicated to military service
A dramatic decrease in the Spartiate population at the end of the 5th Century BC
Daughters inherited the estate if there’s no living brothers
A Spartan wife’s dowry remained hers throughout marriage, and that dowry often comprised land.
The Spartan laws regarding land inheritance was quite different to the rest of Greece.
