Spartan Kings: Dual Kingship Flashcards
The two Spartan Kings were both what? (3)
- Co-operative and competitive with one another
- Equal in authority
- Served as a mutual check on the power of the monarchy
What effect did the dual kingship have on the prevention of anarchy?
- As there were two of them, Sparta was never without a leader and therefore avoided anarchy
What were the names of the two Spartan royal families?
- The Agiad family
- The Eurypontid family
the kings were supreme commanders of the army, but what restriction was there?
- Only one was selected to lead a campaign while the other was to stay in Sparta supervising domestic issues
What source tells us how the law (that only one Spartan king could lead a campaign) came about? When did it? Why?
- Herodotus
- Around 507 BC
- Cleomenes and Demaratus were joint commanders of an expedition against Athens, but differed in opinion so both kings going out with the army was made illegal and it was further provided that one had to remain in the capital
Did the kings have the right to declare war? Did they? What power did they have in the field?
- Yes
- Never
- They had the absolute right of deciding life and death
Who accompanies the king during wars (2)? Why?
- Two ephors - To supervise his leadership
- A bodyguard of 100 picked men - To protect him
What were the religious roles of the kings? (5)
- They were intermediaries between the gods and men
- They were chief priests of the gods of their respective families
- Every month they offered solemn sacrifices to Apollo for the city
- Sacrificed to Zeus before a campaign
- Appointed two Pythioi, who were responsible for the safe keeping of the oracles
The kings had limited judicial duties. What were they? (3)
- Decided on marriages for orphaned heiresses
- Had control over all matters concerning highways
- The adoption of children
According to Herodotus, what were the kings’ religious responsibilities? (2)
- They were the head of respective priesthoods
- They could each choose two Pythioi who consulted the oracle at Delphi and sat with the king at meals
According to Xenophon, what were the kings’ religious responsibilities?
- They could choose their sacrificial victims and were offered a pig from every litter
According to Herodotus, what were the kings’ military responsibilities? What right did they have? What authority did they have on campaign? (quote)
- Had the right of making war against whatsoever land they please
- “Absolute authority” on campaign
According to Xenophon, what were the kings’ military responsibilities? What did they do when no battle was expected? What did they do when the enemy were met? Who did they have to eat with?
- The king should lead the army on any foreign campaign
- When there’s no battle expected the king marches from the front and when the enemy are met he serves between two regiments
- He had to eat with the regimental commanders so they may take a larger part in any deliberations
According to Herodotus, what were the kings’ constitutional responsibilities? What were they permanently a member of? What happened if they couldn’t attend? What were they in charge of?
- Permanent members of the Gerousia
- If the king couldn’t attend a Gerousia meeting, a Gerontes close in relation to the king would vote on his behalf
- In charge of roads
According to Xenophon, did the kings own a great deal of land? Give a quote that compares the position of the kings to the position of a private citizen. Why is this (quote)? Who accompanied them on campaign?
- Each king had enough land that they could sustain themselves, but not enough that they were rich
- “they do not greatly exceed the position of a private citizen”
- Lycurgus did not want to encourage a “tyrannical attitude”
- On campaign two ephors accompanied the king to keep an eye on him
