Sparta: A Social Experiment If you could live in a society where everyone was socially and economically equal, would you want to?

Where does this history begin? Lycurgus Dates : Archaic Greece c. 700-500 BCE

Values of the Spartan Citizen Unquestioning Obedience Courage Indifference to pain, cold or heat Contempt for other civilizations

How did they live? As invincible warriors. From cradle to deathbed Military caste Never risked a battle they thought they could not win Only distinction is military honor in battle

What is Spartan Culture? Imagine a world where everything is subordinate to war . . .

Spartan society 3 social groups Equals: descended from the invaders, controlled Sparta Half-citizens: free, paid taxes and served in the army but had no political power, some farmed but others worked in the city as traders or artisans Helots: slaves, greatly outnumbered the other groups so Spartans used force to control them, in large part this is why Sparta became a military city-state 12/3/2018

Sparta’s Military Society (cont’d) Spartan women Received strict physical training Taught to be devoted to the city-state Their best value was seen as producing Spartan soldiers Results of military society: Strong government Almost unbeatable army No individual freedom Created almost no art or literature and made almost no advances in science 12/3/2018

Spartan Government Two kings led Sparta A council of Elders 1 king handled military 1 king took care of domestic matters A council of Elders Made up of 28 male citizens over the age of 60 Proposed laws and served as a criminal court An assembly Included all male citizens over 30 Elected 5 ephors Made sure the kings stayed within the law Elected for a 1 year term Controlled the education of Spartans 12/3/2018

Sparta’s Military Society Goal was to make every male citizen a part of the military machine Military worked to expand Sparta and control the helots A group of officials examined new born babies and those deemed unhealthy were left to die At 7 boys left home to join the barracks Mainly military training but they also learned how to read and write From age 18-20 they learned specifically about warfare At 20 they could marry but could not live at home until age 30 Were available for military service until the age of 60 12/3/2018

What is Spartan art? Poetry incites warriors to fight Music was for war and religion Even art depicts the gods in chains

Spartan vs. Non Spartan Poetry Is anything worth dying for? If so, what? “Shove your shield in the face of the enemy, hating life and embracing death’s dark spirits like the sun’s rays . . .” Tyrtaeus “Some Thracian is flaunting the shield I left thoughtlessly by the brush, an flawless piece. So what? I saved myself.” Archilochus

Spartan “Childhood” Only necessary schooling Provoked to fight Taken from home at seven Put in herds Only necessary food and clothes “To bring these things they steal, some going into gardens and others insinuating themselves dangerously and cautiously into the men’s messes. If anyone is caught, he is given many lashes with the whip”

The Ancient Greeks did not have exercise machines to improve their physical fitness, so they had to use whatever was available. They used body weight exercises such as pushups or pullups. The Ancient Greeks would use resistance in their strength training methods by using stones, logs, animals or each other to help increase their strength.

They were drilled in gymnastics, running, jumping, throwing of spear and discus, and also taught to endure pain and hardship, hunger, thirst, cold, fatigue and lack of sleep. They were walking without shoes, bathed at the cold waters of the river Eurotas and were dressed winter and summer, with the same piece of cloth, which the state gave them once a year.

Helots – Sparta’s Problem Constantly feared uprising Spartan boys spied on them Attacked them regularly Had to keep standing army to maintain them

The Krypteia Secret warfare tactics “this is another form of training for war: they sent each one out naked and ordered him to wander outside in the mountains for a year, maintaining himself by theft and avoiding detection

Spartan Lore Philip of Macedon: “If I enter Laconia, I will level Sparta to the ground.” Spartan reply: “If.”