Lycurgus The Lawgiver

Lycurgus the Lawgiver

Biography Uncertain whether he was a real person. If he was, his life must be placed in the 7th century. He introduced a set of laws called ‘The Great Rhetra’ This was believed to be the constitution of Sparta in the classical period In reality, although conservative, the laws of Sparta were a larger collection accumulated over time, and much of them was unwritten custom, rather than written law in the modern sense.

The text of the Great Rhetra When thou has built a temple to Zeus Syllanius and Athena Syllania, divided the people into phylai, and divided them into 'obai', and established a Gerousia of thirty including the Archagetai, then from time to time 'appellazein' between Babyka and Knakion, and there introduce and repeal measures; but the Demos must have the decision and the power. (Later addition:) But if the Demos should choose badly, the Gerontes and Kings shall be 'apostateres'

Historical Judgement: For its day, the great Rhetra was a radical concept, and a remarkable document, as it established direct democracy for the first time in human history. However, its message was eroded later The political conservatism of Sparta had already rendered it archaic by the end of the 5th c. when Sparta reached its peak It was never applied properly It was not followed by any other reform in the coming centuries.

The Messenian Wars First Messenian War (743-24) The Messenians successfully resist Spartan attacks for years from the heavily fortified position of Mt. Ithome After the death of king Aristodemos, Ithome fell and Messenia was enslaved.

The Second Messenian War ( ) The enslaved Messenians revolted under Aristomenes, who was eventually declared king of Messenia. For a long time they successfully resisted Sparta, but in the end they were defeated and became helots, until 370 BC, when the Theban Epameinondas reinstated Messenian Independence. Historians have argued that the Spartans were enslaved to the enslaved Messenians.