Greece: Sparta Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC 1. Geographical
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Greece: Sparta Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC 1. Geographical Setting 1.2 The geographical setting, natural features, and resources of ancient Sparta Geographical Setting • Located in the Peloponnese region in central Greece • Laconia, Southern Peloponnese • The Mediterranean Sea surround the region • Sparta (5 Villages) is situated on a rich, flat alluvial plain (built of rock sediment), surrounded by mountains with Mt Taygetus as the main one • 4 villages lie on the edge of the Eurotas River • Tyreatis Plain in the east • Strabo: “Laconia... encircled by mountains, rugged and difficult of access for enemies.” Climate • Cold in winter/hot in summer-> but adequate seasonal terms for good agriculture • Mountain ranges remained snow-capped all year and lower wooded slopes provided excellent hunting grounds and valuable timber • Mountains also formed a natural barrier/fortress for Sparta • Area of Laconia and Messenia lay rich plains which were good for growing crops and grazing horses Resources • Abundance in resources • Minerals & Ores (e.g. Iron, lead, clay) • Stones (e.g. Porphyry, marble, Imported Copper, and tin for bronze) • Agriculture (e.g. fruit trees, bees, olives, sheep used for wool and dairy, wild boar) • Produced wheat, barley grapes for wine, and figs • Strabo: “Messenia is a land of fine fruit and watered by innumerable streams, abounding in pasturage for cattle and sheep.” 1.2 Significant sites: Sparta • Polis (Independent City-State) of Sparta including the city and areas in Laconia • Sparta is consisted of 5 villages: Limnai, Pitana, Kynosaura, Meosoa, and Amyklai • Dorians – Warlike tribal people from the Danube area who migrated into the Peloponnese around 1100BC • Chief temples located on the outskirt of town: Temple of Athena on the acropolis, Temple of Artemis Orthia, Sanctuary of Apollo 5km south of Sparta 2. Social Structures and Political Organisation 2.1 The issue of Lycurgus (The Great Rhetra) • Lycurgus was the legendary lawgiver of Sparta, credited for creating the Spartan constitution (i.e. System of economy, government etc.) • Oral Law known as The Great Rhetra, debate on whether Lycurgus was a myth. • The Great Rhetra mentions 3 parts of the Spartan Constitution • Dual Kingship • 30-member council (Gerousia) of 28 (Gerontes) and two kings • Assembly (ekklesia) of all Spartiates aged over 30 Ancient Sources Modern Sources Plutarch (46 – 120 BC) – Biographer who • A.Andrewes: “If there was a real wrote 500 years after the society fell at the Lycurgus, we know nothing of him.” and Battle of Leuctra 371BC “the perpetuation of his name was one of the most successful frauds in history.” • In ‘Life of Lycurgus’ Plutarch argues that Lycurgus visited the Oracle at Delphi • W.G. Forrest: “If such a person exists, (Central Greece) that delivered The the greatest thing he did was to take Great Rhetra as a prophecy what he found and partly by accident, partly by design.” • “... Sweep away existing order and make a complete change of constitution since piecemeal legislation would have no effect and value.” • However, this might not be a reliable source as Plutarch wrote 500 years after Herodotus (484 – 425 BC) – Collected • H. Michell (1952): “... the very existence materials and simply retold stories told by of Lycurgus is strongly open to doubt.” all sorts of people when he travelled around the Mediterranean • ‘The Histories’ contained a similar account to Plutarch about the oracle • However, he also documents a tale from the Laconians where Lycurgus brought the document of The Great Rhetra from Crete and introduced reforms as a regent of his nephew King Leobotus Xenophon (430 -354BC) Judgement • Focuses on the success of The Great • Not enough evidence to make a certain Rhetra judgement • Wrote specifically on the constitution of • Written sources are somewhat Sparta in ‘Spartan Society’ where he unreliable and because The Great credited the success and influence of Rhetra was in ORAL FORM it didn’t such a small polis, in developing a provide much military ethos & strict order • Accounts emerge hundreds of years • Xenophon describes Lycurgus: “I later certainly admire him in the highest • However, a revolution in Spartan • degree a wise man.... he made his political life DID OCCUR to ensure each country outstandingly fortunate.” political power was closely in check. • Some bias because he admired the Spartan’s constitution 2.1 Roles and Privileges of the two Kings Origins • Believed to be a coalition of two distinct tribes Eurypontids and Agiads • Given equal powers under the constitution • Succeed by oldest son, but a son born prior to his father’s accession to the throne had to give way to the firstborn after his father became king Judicial Role • Held limited judicial duties, decided on marriages of orphaned heiresses and adoption of children • Sat as members of the council of elders (Gerousia) but held no more power than the other 28 • Had jurisdiction over roads and highways Religious Role • Kings were intermediaries between good and men • Carried out sacrifices to Apollo every month • Priests of Zeus Military Role • Supreme commander of the army, one king leads the military campaign while the other remained in Sparta and held supreme authority in administration • Two ephors accompanied the king and kept close supervision on his leadership during the war and a body guard of 100 men Restriction on power Special Honours • Took an oath every 3 month • Supported at the expense of the state • Dual kingship limited dictatorship • Served first at public meals and given double portions 2.2 Government: ephorate, Gerousia, ekklesia Gerousia (Council of Elders) • Consist of the 2 Spartan Kings and 20 gerontes: men over the age of 60 with past military service • Selection was by acclamation (shouting and clapping) • Formed an aristocratic elite based on age, but in practice those chosen came from wealthy families • Held power in deciding in serious criminal cases involving death, exile, or disgrace • Proposed legislations to be approved/rejected by the ekklesia • Had numerous judicial functions (exceeds those of the kings) • Could trial the kings • Plutarch: “...man over sixty whose merits were regarded as most outstanding...” • Aristotle questions the effectiveness of this political system “guilty of taking bribes and have been corrupt enough to give away a lot of public property.” Ephorate (Magistrates) • Sparta had 5 Ephors one from each oba (territorial region), elected annually • Chief officials/magistrates of the state elected by the ekklesia and can only hold office for a year • Controlled public finances, presided over meetings of ekklesia, supervised krypteia, declared wars, influential in deciding foreign policies • Oversees lesser magistrates and the kings • Responsible for criminal and civil cases • Controlled the Krypteia (Secret Police) and state finances • Xenophon: “Ehpors had the power to fine anyone they wish.. if ever they detect any irregular behaviour on anyone’s part, they at once punish it.” • Aristotle: “The ephorate has supreme authority... they are open to bribery, which has further harmed the constitution... but secretly evade the law and enjoy bodily pleasures.” • Plutarch: “Ephors served to reinforce the constitution rather than weaken it” The Ekklesia (General Assembly) • The assembly comprised of all male citizens over the age of 30 • Vote on proposed legislations via acclamation • Elected ephors and Gerousia • Voted by acclamation, could not initiate legislation could only vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ • Thycydides: “Spartan assembly made their decisions by acclamation, not by voting.” 2.3 Social Structure: Spartiates, perioeci, ‘inferiors’, helots Spartites (Homoioi) • Elite group of male citizens over the age of 30, between 9000-10,000 people • Obtained their social status through: • Birth from descents of the Dorian/Laconia tribes • Successful completion of training laid down by the state (agoge) • Election to military club (syssition) • Subjected to disciplined training (expected to be at peak of physical fitness) and lived by a strict code of honour (e.g. total loyalty to the state, respect authority, obedience of laws) • Death in battle was preferred over defeat -> Otherwise punished with loss of citizenship • Minimalist lifestyle -> Healthy diet, minimum clothing, not permitted to sleep at home until 30 • Equal under law and have right to participate in government Inferiors • Spartiates who did not conform to the strict code of behaviour and did not abide by the laws including: • Children of unmarried Spartans (Partheniai) • Non-Spartan boys adopted as playmates, but did not normally gain full citizenship (Mothakes) • Free groups but non-citizen (Neodamodeis) • Warriors who failed to show enough courage (Hypomeiones) Helots • Original pre-Dorian inhabitants of Laconia and Messina • Not owned by individuals and could not be sold, they were state-owned agricultural slaves • Lived on lands of Spartiates and must provide quota of produce to their masters • Required to act as servants to citizens and fight for Sparta when necessary – They served as light-armed troops and occasionally trained as hoplite • Under the state Helots are often treated with brutality e.g. wear humiliating clothes, received annual beating, and were under threat by the krypetia (Secret Police) • Make up 70% of the population and wear a central feature of the Sparta system • Talbert (“... overwhelming majority had accommodated themselves to the demands of their masters.”) • Plutarch suggested that Lycurgus