1. The Glory of Greece
Meet the Spartans

2. Geographical Location
Located in southern part of the Peoloponnesus (the large peninsula that forms southern Greece)

3. Conquest instead of Colonization
While other Greek city states sent out colonies to deal with excess population, they defeated their neighbours and took their land.
Conquest of Messenia, agriculturally wealthy region west of Sparta
Conquered people joined large population of Spartan helots, the state slaves who worked the land
Helots outnumbered the Spartiates 10 to 1
Spartan policy often based on relationship between the helots and the Spartiates
Spartans worried about revolt by the helots

4. A Society Organized for War
Military dominated all of their concerns
Known as warriors
5000 full Spartan warriors in good times
Everything oriented to maintenance of hoplite army, a force so superior that the Spartans confidently left their city unfortified
The Spartan system made every citizen, called a Spartiate, a professional soldier of the phalanx

5. Raised as a Spartan
At birth, every child was examined by Spartan officials who determined whether it was healthy enough to raise (if not, the infant was abandoned in the mountains)
At age 7, children placed in state-run Spartan educational system
Boys and girls trained together until age 12: exercise, gymnastics, other physical drills and competitions
Boys then went to live in barracks, where their military training would begin
Girls continued education until they married, usually around 18
Spartan women enjoyed more freedom and priviliges than women anywhere else in Greece
Girls encouraged to take part in sports to develop healthy bodies so they could have healthy children
Women had both property and marriage rights

6. Barracks Training
Rigorous, designed to accustom young Spartan to physical hardships
At age 18, the young man would try to gain membership into a syssition, a communal mess tent as well as a kind of fighting brotherhood
Failure would mean young man would not become a full Spartiate and would lose rights as citizen
If accepted, men would remain in barracks until 30
Required to marry between ages of 20 and 30, but not permitted to meet their wives secretly
At 30, Spartiate could live with family
Remained on active military duty until 60
Unlikely to participate in combat beyond age of 45

7. Government
Political, social and military systems attributed to one great legislator named Lycurgus
Little known about him, mythic figure
Lycugus: May have lived in early 7th century BCE
Supposed to have laid down tough military training program that allowed best soldiers to be produced
Proposed a constitution that guaranteed all Spartan citizens a minimum level of equality
The only people who could be Spartan citizens were adult males whose parents were from citizen families
At any time, Sparta never had more than official citizens
Majority of people living in Sparta were helots

8. Government Composed of four separate political elements
Was a balance of a monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy
Two hereditary kings, one in charge of military and the other in charge of government
A Council of Elders consisting of 28 aristocrats over age of 60 advised the kings, main policy-making body and primary court
Assembly of Citizens: Spartiate males over age 30 who voted yes or no, without debate, on proposals made by Council
Spartans voted by shouting, yes or no depended on who shouted louder
Assembly intended to be democratic, but had no voice in policy-making
Ephorate: body of 5 Ephors, overseers, elected each year by citizens, held the most power in Sparta
Ephors directed affairs of state

9. Kings Ephors Council of Elders Assembly of Citizens
Ephorate: body of 5 Ephors, overseers, elected each year by citizens, held the most power in Sparta
Two hereditary kings, one in charge of military and the other in charge of government
Kings
Ephors
Council of Elders
Assembly of Citizens
Assembly of Citizens: Spartiate males over age 30 who voted yes or no, without debate, on proposals made by Council
A Council of Elders consisting of 28 aristocrats over age of 60 advised the kings, main policy-making body and primary court