History Notes - Ancient Sparta

Spartan Society

- Sparta was in Classical Greece (500BC - 323BC)

- It was located in southern greece (Peloponnese)
- Mt Jaygetus was the ranges that gave it a defence
- Lakonian plain provided agricultural needs

The Education system

Agoge
- Trained male youths in the art of war
- Infantacide was practiced and
- Paides - basic teaching in youth
- Age 7, given nothing but a blanket and minimal food and were told to survive
- Stealing was promoted as it was a survival skill you just can't get caught
- Boys made their own beds from reeds from the river
- Paidiskoi - (bigger boy)
- Teenage boys would run to steal cheese from an altar to Artemis Orthia (goddess of the
hunt), and avoid the whips and the flogging of older boys
- Hebonites - older boys - stage of maturity
- It is at this stage that boys would be elected into a mess or potentially marry
- Marriage however was more common after graduation at age 30
- Also overseen by paidonomos

Religious significance of Carneia

- Carneia was held in Karneois (August)

- Associates with a ram - an animal supposedly favoured by the God Apollo
- And killed by descendants of Heracles so it was celebrated to appease gods anger
- Five men were chosen per tribe, one representing the harvest and other boys chased him to
represent the harvest being theirs for the coming year.
- Could not wage war during this period

Persian Wars

Overall the Greeks won, despite the persian empire being at its peak.

- King Darius consolidated the persian empire and was succeeded by Xerxes
Susa, a starting location for the royal road
- The royal road was 2699km
 - It took 90 days on foot
- But when perisa sought to move forces it took 9 days with horses
- There were rest stops with fresh horses and food

- Persepolis (named by greeks) was the city of the persians

- Within the persian wars exiled king damarius of Sparta assisted the persians

Battle at Marathon 490 BC

- Persian king darius sends troops to attack athens and loses

- Spartans were celebrated Carneia and hence couldnt assist the athenians
- Philipedes was sent from Athens to Sparta to request help, then being denied returned to
Marathon. Having seen the Persians defeated he ran back to Athens to tell them of this news
and died from exhaustion.
- Athenian forces single handedly fought of the persian invasion
- After Carneia Spartans came, looked at the bodies and left
- NOTABLE: BECAUSE THE SPARTANS WERE HERE, LEONIDAS WAS ILL EQUIPPED FOR THE
BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE!

Battle at Thermopylae 480 BC

- The Persians returned under King Xerxes as he set out to finish what his father started.
- Xerxes walks with his troops cutting canals and building bridges as needed
- There are a series of battles but eventually after being told of the narrow pass at
Thermopylae by Damaritus the Persians win
- It is here that the King of Sparta; Leonidas falls

Women in Sparta

- Spartan women partook in running, wrestling, throwing javelins, discus and ball sports much
like the boys
- They were mostly naked when exercising
- Strong women meant the women would carry children in strong bodies, so better and
healthier children
- Pregnancy should be taken on with vigour and childbirth should be approached relaxed
- Women would helpfully criticise men and dance and partake in festivals
- Women mingling with male sex gave them a taste for males
- Women conformed to ideals of spartan society - come back with your shield or on it - upheld
brutal punishments such as killing or disowning children for being cowards - upheld spartan
military code of honour
- Aristotle believed them to be unruly and undisciplined
- Lycurgus prioritised health and fitness so children would come from good stock
- Women were married when prime for it
- Wives were visited in stealth so males were ready for intercourse
- Wives were shared if of good ancestry and if they produced good kids - eugenics
- Known by other greek city states as thigh revealers for exercising naked or in skirts with slits
- Ran household and managed helots
- Part or religious cult of artemis orthia
- By 4th century could inherit 2/5ths of family land - NEVER COULD VOTE
- Women were full of fierce and unrelenting patriotism