1. Sparta By: Nadia Hilton-Adams, Camille Lundberg & Zakiya
By: Nadia Hilton-Adams, Camille Lundberg & Zakiya
Dr. Paddenburg, 2nd Period

2. The mountains and valley areas of Sparta
Geography
Ancient Sparta was located in the southern end of Greece
Sparta was bordered by two large mountains
Taygetos and the Parnon Mountains
Because of these mountains, it was very difficult to invade and easier to defend.
Sparta was also on the right bank of the Eurotas River.
Sparta was only 25 miles from water
lots of crops and good soil
Kind of Crops:
olives, wheat grapes and figs.
Sparta was also the capital of a region of the Peloponnese called Laconia
sometimes the Spartans were called Laconians.
Sparta was a simple City
MODERN DAY SPARTA
Modern day Sparta was founded by the government in 1834.
It is part of the site of ancient Sparta and it is the capital of the department of Laconía.
olive grove in Sparta
Amphitheatre-Sparta
About the photo:
In the ruins of Ancient Agora this second oldest amphitheatre in Greece once had a rotating stage.
The mountains and valley areas of Sparta

3. Modern and Ancient View of Sparta
Geography Cont.
SPARTA
Modern and Ancient View of Sparta
This picture shows an outline of ancient Sparta layered over an aerial satellite-google view of the modern city.

4. Spartan Timeline Founding of Sparta Approximately 900 B.C

5. Spartan Government LEADERSHIP
Spartan government was run by two Kings, Magistrates and a Council of 28 Elders, Ephorate or Ephors, (this included the two kings).
NOT ELECTED:
The Kings led the army in times of War

6. Magistrates- all were elected
Ephorate (Chief Magistrate)
Ephors
Worked with king & controlled special police (Krypteia)
Council of Elders (The Gerousia)
60 years or older Only
Bloodline/Heritage Only
The Eclesia
Assembly that voted yes/no
18 or older

7. Citizens & Non-Citizens
Citizens had to be descendants of the first Doric invaders who founded/created the City.
Usually no more than 6,000-7,000 citizens at a time.
Non-Citizens outnumbered citizens in Sparta.
Non-Citizens didn’t challenge the system because
Their fear of the military style of government
The way the system was organized.  

8. Warfare Spartan Warfare
The Spartan army was known for their bravery and great skills on the battle
field.
Spent most of their life in war or getting ready for war.
Best fighters on land but weren’t every really good at sea battle.
UNIFORMS
During battles Spartan men wore bronze breastplates, helmets, cheek
plates and crimson capes called cloaks.
WEAPONS
Spears called dorus that was 7-9 feet long
Kopis, which was a short sword-curved and heavy
Was used to slice and stab their enemies when they were close enough.
FIGHTING STYLE
Spartans and others used many front line soldiers that were called hoplites .
But the Spartans were the only ones to get this way of lining up (formation)
perfect!
As a group/unit, the hoplites would form a tight, special formation-called a phalanx formation.
The line of hoplites was each soldier holding his ground while the back lines behind them moved forward to fill in the gaps of soldiers who died
Every Spartan army was fighting like just one soldier.
Their shields to protect them but was supposed to protect the soldier directly beside him on the left.
Spartan Kopis

9. Spartan Warfare Cont. Shock combat
Fighting the Spartan Army was made of waves of a lot of attacks at one time. See below:
1. Ephodos: The hoplites stop singing battle hymns and then they run at top speed and right before impact they suddenly break their silence yelling their war cries and screaming.
Krousis: The opposite formation lines or phalanxes (20-
50,000 men) met each other almost simultaneously in their locations on the frontline.
3. The promachoe or the front-liners had to be physically and
psychologically fitted to survive the speed of that clashing.
Doratismos: quick rapid spear thrusts in order to disrupt the enemy formation.
Othismos: "pushing" after most spears have broken, the hoplites pushed with their large shields then use their swords (Kopis) sword. This is the longest of all the phases of battle.
Pararrhexis: Breaking through the enemies phalanx, was another quick way to end and the battle ends.
DID YOU KNOW???
If a soldier died with or came back from battle with his shield he was a hero but if he came back without it he was a coward.
King Leonidas
5th Century Spartan Military King
Most famous for his three day stand at the
Battle of Thermopylae

10. *ONE OF THE RICHEST CITY-STATES OF ANCIENT GREECE*
Spartan Economy
*ONE OF THE RICHEST CITY-STATES OF ANCIENT GREECE*
The economy was built around making sure there was money for to keep the Military going.
The Land
Was good for growing/farming so the agriculture was very good.
Sparta didn’t need to get wheat or food from anywhere else.
The Perioikoi could:
sell and do trade and make income off of commerce from selling things.
Because Spartan citizens weren’t allowed to have jobs other than being soldiers, the perioikoi people made all the big business deals and trade deals.
Sparta did not have a coin system so they traded Iron Bars.

11. Spartan Culture MILITARY
Infants Males in Sparta
The Spartans believed very much in strength, bravery and honor.
Then an Elder Council inspected each baby and if they considered the baby weak then the baby was left to die on the slope of Mount Taygetos.
If the baby lived, then that baby was worthy of being a Spartan and was brought back to the family.
The Spartans believed that this was their children’s first test of their strength.
By Age 7…
Male Spartans were taken from their mothers and families
were put through years of harsh training camp called agoge.
By Age 12…
They had to sleep outside with one pair of clothes and no shoes for a one whole year.
After that, they went back to living with the other soldiers in the barracks.
By Age 20…
At 20 they were now soldiers but had to still stay in the group barracks and couldn’t marry or have children or become a landowner and until he was 30 years old.
Spartans were still soldiers until they were 60 years old-that’s when they could retire .

12. Culture cont. HELOTS & PERIOKOI
Periokoi or the dwellers around or about were foreigners who were very good at talking to the Helots and the Spartans.
They were good at keeping the peace.
They were treated pretty well.
Most of the commerce and trade in Sparta was done by the Periokoi and they were also free.
The Helots were slaves.
They were given out to the Spartans as servants to clean houses and farm land.
They weren’t treated well by the Spartans.
Every year large groups of them were killed by the secret police of Sparta (Crypteia).
Helots could live in family units so and were able to keep some of the crops if they raised over the amount needed.
DID YOU KNOW ??
In the year 223 BC 6,000 the Helots purchased their freedom for 500 drachmas each.

13. Spartan Culture cont.
WOMEN
Spartan women were athletic and strong.
EDUCATION
They had formal education but they were not allowed to use it to earn money or have jobs.
PUBLIC TALKING
They could speak in public about politics and could speak to men in public too.
FITNESS
Spartan Women were allowed to exercise because the Spartans believed that fit women made strong and athletic babies.
MARRIAGE
Marriage for a Spartan woman was not a large or celebrated event. The woman was kidnapped in the night by her suitor. Her head was shaved, and she had to wear men's clothing. She would lay on a straw pallet in the dark.
CITIZENS
Spartan women were also free and considered to be citizens.
PROPERTY
Women could own property too.
Sparta was also popular in the Arts with music and dance.
Spartans lived a simple life and didn’t believe in luxury.

14. Spartan Religion The Spartans worshiped a goddess whose name was:
Artemis Orthia--Her name means standing erect or upright.
The Spartans also worshipped a God named:
Ares-He was the God of War.
RELIGON IMPORTANT FOR MEN
When boys went through the coming of age ritual they would stand upright on the steps
of Sparta's Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia and were beat until their flesh was torn and bleeding.
They believed that this ritual prepared Spartan men for the brutality of warfare
and how it would be when your fighting.
They believed that their goddess Artemis Oritha wasn’t satisfied until the
sanctuary was covered in blood from the young men.
The sanctuary of Artemis Orthia
Ares
God of War
Artemis Orthia

15. The Peloponnesian League
The Peloponnesian League was the Spartan alliance.
Sparta made a confederacy of the Peloponnesian states.
Sparta was in charge; and each state would send a deputy for decision and making, and have their own treaty.

16. MLA Citations
Lendering, Jona. "Helots." Wikepdia. Wikipedia, 2 January Web. 22 Jan <
Fowler, Robin. "The Women of Sparta." Suite101. Suite101, 3 September Web. 23 Dec <
"Ancient Greece and Rome." mail.watertown. Watertown, --. Web. 20 Dec <
--. "Sparta." Conservapedia. Conservapedia, 17 Feb Web. 17 Feb < --. "The Hoplite." Military Factory. Military Factory, 1 Jan Web. 17 Feb < spartan-hoplite.asp>.
--. "Sparta: Tactics." Sparta.maroulakispublications.org.uk. Markoulakis Publications, 12 Oct Web. 12 Oct < --. "Ancient Greek Warfare." Essortment. Essortment, Web. 25 Jan < Fotis. "Sparta." Battle of Thermopylae. BattleofThermopylae, Web. 25 Jan < --. "Athens vs. Sparta." Diffen. Diffen, n.d. Web. 25 Jan < Schrader, Helena P. "Sparta Reconsidered Economy." Elysiumgates.com. Helena P. Schrader, 9 July Web. 25 Jan <