1. Sparta: Military City-State

3. Sparta = A Nation of Soldiers
Sparta was founded by the Dorian (Greeks who invaded Peloponnesus in the Dark Age)
They enslaved their neighbors and their city-state grew larger

4. Helots = Slaves
There were more helots than Spartans. Helots constantly threatened rebellions against the Spartans.
Sparta needed strong military to hold helots down

5. Spartan Government Government in Sparta was an oligarchy.
An oligarchy is ____________________________
In Sparta, the government had three parts:
Two kings,
A council of elders,
An assembly made of all citizens that voted on laws
(Citizens were male, native-born Spartans over 30)
Assembly elected 5 ephors: people who enforced the laws and managed tax collection

6. Life in Sparta Spartan way of life began at birth
Babies were inspected by elders. If boys had any defects, they were thrown down a cliff
Girls with defects were sold as slaves

7. Daily Life in Sparta
Life in Sparta was hard. Everything centered around the military and helping men prepare for battle.
Social classes included: 1. male citizens: they served in the army artisans, craftsmen, merchants; women 4. slaves
They ate very basic foods: grains, meats, etc.
Sparta discouraged travel abroad and the study of literature, the arts, science and other subjects.
They did little trading and limited interaction with outside world: they were very suspicious of outsiders bringing ideas of change.

8. Happy Birthday, Welcome to Basic Training!
At the age of 7, boys began training for a lifetime in the military
Left their families to live in barracks
Forced to become tough

9. Military training Boys were given little food or clothing
Encouraged to go out and steal or fight for food
Would play “games” in which they would fight or beat each other; had to show toughness and not cry or show pain
Left out in woods to fight for their life against animals and cold

10. Difficult test for citizenship
At age 20, the men were tested.
They had to be strong in military tactics, leadership, and fitness
If they passed, they became citizens and full members of the army
If they did not pass, they became outcasts

12. Life in the military Men married at the age of 20
Had to live in barracks for ten years
If they wanted to see their wives, they had to escape

14. Military cont. At the age of 30, men could finally move home
and were full citizens
Still ate every meal in the
military dining hall
Food was sparse and plain

15. Greek Defense The Greeks used a defense called the Phalanx.

16. Women: Important Part of Warrior Society
Exercised to strengthen their bodies—only Greek women could do so
Had freedom: could own properties and go where they wanted
Were expected to produce healthy sons
Men were busy with war, women had expanded roles in running the home and raising sons
Girls were educated at age 7 in reading and writing, gymnastics, athletics and survival skills. Were treated more as equals.

17. Tough love Spartan mother to her son as he goes off to war:
“Return with your
shield or on it.”
It was shameful to return from
without winning. It was
better to die a glorious death
In battle.

18. The Real 300 Have you seen the movie 300?
There are some significant problems with the movie as it relates to history. I will share the truth about what maybe the greatest battle, fought by the world’s greatest soldiers, in defense of Greece.

19. 300
The 300 Spartan warriors all had a son at home. It is suggested that those soldiers were picked because they would have someone at home for whom to fight. This is nice, but the truth is likely that this guaranteed the soldiers’ family lineage would not die out if they did not survive.

21. Truth vs. Fiction
Did Spartans throw a Persian down the well? Yes, but ten years earlier.
Did only 300 Spartans fight? No, over 4,000
Was Ephialtes a Spartan? Was he deformed? No, and no.

22. Truth vs. Fiction
Did the Spartans wear no armor? They wore chest protectors and helmets, and they all had the plume.
Was Xerxes 9 feet tall? No.
Did the Persian use elephants and rhinoceroses? No, but they did use horses. Twenty percent of the Persian military was cavalry on horses