Spartan Society

Question 0

What do we include in answer about social structure and political organisation?

Answer 0

Social structure and political organisation

• the issue of Lycurgus (the Great Rhetra)
  -roles and privileges of the two kings
  -government: ephorate, gerousia, ekklesia
  -social structure: Spartiates, perioeci, ‘inferiors’, helots
  -role of the Spartan army
  -control of the helots: the military, syssitia, krypteia
  -artisans, helots
  -educational system: agoge
• role and status of women: land ownership, inheritance, education

Question 1

What do we include in answer of geographical setting?

Answer 1

The geographical setting

-the geographical setting, natural features and resources of ancient Sparta
-significant sites: Sparta

Question 2

What do we include in an answer about the economy?

Answer 2

The economy

-land ownership: agriculture, kleroi, helots
-technology: weapons, armour, pottery
-economic roles of the periokoi (‘dwellers around’) and helots
-economic exchange: use of iron bars, trade

Question 3

What do we include in an answer about religion death and burial?

Answer 3

Religion, death and burial

-gods and goddesses: Artemis Orthia, Poseidon, Apollo
-myths and legends: Lycurgus and the Dioscuri
-festivals: Hyakinthia, Gymnopaedia, Karneia
religious role of the kings
–funerary customs and rituals

Question 4

What do we include in an answer about everyday life?

Answer 4

Everyday life

• daily life and leisure activities
  -food and clothing
• marriage customs
  -occupations.

Question 5

What do we include in an answer about cultural life?

Answer 5

Cultural life

-art: sculpture, painted vases, bone and ivory carving
-architecture: Amyklaion, Menelaion, the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia
-writing and literature: Alcman and Tyrtaeus
-Greek writers’ views of Sparta: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Aristotle, Pausanias, Plutarch

Question 6

Identify the natural features of Sparta?

Answer 6

• Eurotus valley(Fault line caused periodic earthquakes)
• Eurotus river
• Parnon ranges
• Aracadian Mountains
• Mount Taygetus

Question 7

Describe amount Taygetus?

Answer 7

-Favoured hunting grounds due to wild animals such as boars. Spartans would leave their children there for dying if weak. Has springs, fruit and olive trees.

Question 8

Describe lacedeamon?

Answer 8

750BC Spartans wanted more land and expanded out of Lackonia into messenia to conquer the messenians no nd make helots out of them. Created unique political system.

Question 9

Identify resources of Sparta?

Answer 9

Limestone and marble, wood, bees for honey, wild boar, horses, cheese, halts , olive and fruit trees, orchards for wine, pigs and wool, barley.

Question 10

Describe Gytheon?

Answer 10

Port 42km South of Sparta, that gave Sparta access to fish and seafood, including murex molluse shells for dyeing their cloths red and purple.

Question 11

Wat r da villages of Sparta?

Answer 11

Pitane, Mesoa , Amyclay, Limnae, Kynosoura.

Question 12

Describe da city do Sparta?

Answer 12

Consisted of Pitana, Mesoa, Kynosoura, Amyclay and Limnae. Had a low acropolis and no walls, had a temple or Artemis Orthia , Menelaeion, the Amyclalion(Scantuary of Apollo Hyacinthus)

Question 13

What are the categories of Spartan art?

Answer 13

Ivory and bone carvings, painted vases, sculpture.