Sparta

Question 1

Geographical setting

Answer 1

• situated in central Laconia- fertile valley of the Eurotas River
• surrounded by three mountains: Taygetus mountain, Parnon mountain range, Arcadian range
• connected to northern part of Greece by the Corinthian isthmus

Question 2

Natural resources

Answer 2

Sparta had warm climate and light rainfall and good agriculture in Laconia

• crops: barley, wheat, grapes
• shellfish = purple dye for clothes
• bees = provided honey and wax
• graze sheep and goats for milk = cheese, skins, wool hair, fat and meat

Question 3

Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia

Answer 3

• located on West Bank of Eurotas
• consists of a walk enclosing an altar and a small temple, ritual fluffing at the altar

Important finds: clay masks, Ivory carvings, lead figurines

• inscriptions bears dedications by visitors who wine contests in honour of Artemis
• bone objects dated to the archaic period, Ivory plaques and combs (religious ceremonies/ votive offerings)

Question 4

Sanctuary of Apollo at Amyklai

Answer 4

Important finds:

• most important festival Hyakinthos took place
• decorated with relief representations and plastic composition
• tomb altar of the local God Hyakinthos was used as the pedestal of the statue

Question 5

Menelaion

Answer 5

Near bank of Eurotas River

Important finds:

• cistern was built to provide water supply to the shrine
• small Laconian cases, terracottas, iron objects, lead and bronze items discovered

Question 6

Lycurgus

Answer 6

Man who established political, social and economical reforms of the Spartan society
Disagreement to his existence (man or God) laws significantly changed Spartan life

“Owe their prosperity” to Lycurgus - Plutarch

Question 7

Great Rhetra

Answer 7

Oracle from the shrine of Apollo at Delphi that induced a series of wide reforms in Sparta

• not written down
• wanted it to be imprinted in the hearts of ppl stronger than written laws

Question 8

Lycurgus reforms (part 1)

Answer 8

Establishment of senate

• 28men who had power equal to two royal houses of Sparta
• balanced out power between monarchy and democracy = stable gov
• ppl and rulers respected each other and were allowed to vote = more balanced power and minimised corruption

Question 9

Lycurgus reforms (part 2)

Answer 9

Division of land and wealth = dispel inequality

• Lycurgus persuaded citizens to gather up land and redistribute it afresh
• expelled crime, arrogance, wealth and poverty
• resolved issue of money between the many destitute ppl and few wealthy ppl

Question 10

Lycurgus reforms (part 3)

Answer 10

Common messes = better equality

• meals eaten together creates a sense of community and unity between the ppl
• significant bc rich could not spend lives at home stuffing themselves with delicacies removing gluttony and greed from society

Question 11

Lycurgus reforms (part 4)

Answer 11

Reformation of time limit spent at war

• reduce their chances of being defeated and never gave enemy time to learn their tactics
• strong military with a history of successful campaigns

Plutarch- “the legacy of the science of gov”

Question 12

Religious role of kings

Answer 12

• expected to sacrifice to God Apollo each month
• priests of the city
• held office as long as they maintained pleasure of the gods and were blamed if anything went wrong

Question 13

Military role of kings

Answer 13

• supreme army commander
• personal body guard of 100 men
• Kings had unlimited power of life and death over troops of his army
• two ephors kept an eye on the Kings activities

Question 14

Judicial roles of kings

Answer 14

Responsible for matters pertaining to public highways, legal matters regarding adoption of children

Power to decide upon the marriage partner of a heiress whose father died

Question 15

Privileges of kings

Answer 15

• kings death public businesses cease for 10 days ppl expected to wear mourning clothes at funeral
• receive skins of animals sacrificed in religious ceremonies
• received best seats in festivals

Question 16

Gerousia (Council of Elders)

Answer 16

Involved 28 Spartiates (over 60) and two kings

• had power over the decisions of the ecclesia
• acted as judges in criminal cases
• elected by process of acclamation
• held position for life

Question 17

Ephorate (ephors)

Answer 17

Held office for one yr (oligarchy- rule of the few)

• 5 ppl over 30years
• controlled agoge, instructed krypteia
• dealt with foreign envoys
• could summon King for trial
• controlled public finances
• attended court hearings and judged criminal matters
• had an official residence

Question 18

Ecclesia (assembly)

Answer 18

Democracy (rule of the ppl)

• only Spartan ppl over 30
• meet once a month during the feast of Apollo
• decided whether to go to war
• elect ephors by the loudest cheer

Question 19

Spartiates

Answer 19

Elite class of society trained in ways of a soldier

• submit to the Spartan system of education and training
• be a member of the mess
• hold office and vote in assembly
• owned land and paid community fees

Question 20

Syssition

Answer 20

Mess- where meals are shared

• age 20 men able to join
• created strong bonds of comradeship between members

Question 21

Perioeci

Answer 21

Referred to as “the dwellers around”

• not allowed to take part in farming
• trained and educated
• family role extremely limited and had arranged marriages
• had legal protection could not own land or vote
• life was good bc essentially free to do as they wished and enjoyed higher status then helots

Question 22

Helots

Answer 22

Slaves- not owned by individual masters but by the state

• no legal or political rights
• notable act of bravery could bring he lot freedom
• could own some land

Function: work and produce food

Question 23

Krypteia

Answer 23

“secret police”
Rite of passage for young Spartan men ordered to the countryside equipped with only a dagger and basic rations

“Made their way to roads and murdered any helot whom they caught”- Plutarch

Question 24

Inferiors

Answer 24

Other Spartans who did not fit into the category of Spartiate, perioeci or helot

Question 25

Hoplite

Answer 25

Heavily armed spearman - wore a thin bronze Corinthian helmet, bronze greaves to protect his legs and a bronze linen cuirass - carried a spear and sword used for thrusting not throwing

Question 26

Phalanx

Answer 26

Long block of soldiers often eight ranks deep | - organised in "files" so if a man fell his place could quickly be taken by one behind

Question 27

Control of the helots

Answer 27

- military enslaved helots and seized lands - helots had no rights and protection resented their status - Spartan state ritually declared war on helots organised raids to control helots using terror - army could not be away for long periods of time due to chance of helot revolt

Question 28

Agoge

Answer 28

Education system was believed to produce obedience to authority and ability to endure pain in order to achieve victory in battle

Question 29

Education of boys (part 1)

Answer 29

- Age 7 left home to live in barracks - introduced to physical skills and hardships "Education involved them going barefoot, wearing one garment the whole year, and going hungry"- Xenophon - harsh conditions allowed them to develop skills for war including learning survival techniques

Question 30

Education of boys (part 2)

Answer 30

13-18 yo - discipline and training became severe, predominantly physical - Plutarch = story about how a Spartan boy once stole a fox cub his in his cloak and the animal started biting out his insides rather than revealing his theft the child collapsed and died 24-30 - eligible to be front troops - King select 300 knights to be his personal troop

Question 31

Education of boys (part 3)

Answer 31

30th yr - man considered a full citizen and exercise political rights "Took a great deal of their hair" Plutarch - growing hair suggests physical vigour - now allowed to dine at the mess for the rest of their life

Question 32

Education of girls

Answer 32

Less vigorous than boys and were organised into groups - Plutarch = education aimed at producing healthy bodies - girls exercise with boys in sports such as running, javelin and ball games - develop women to undergo the pains of childbearing and harden their bodies

Question 33

Spartan women

Answer 33

- primary function: bearers of children and mothers of warriors - higher status than other Greek women more independence and control - great influence in the economic life of Sparta could manage estates

Question 34

Main role of Spartan women

Answer 34

Xenophon "for Spartan women, childbearing was the most important function" - wives and mothers of citizens - girls exercised so that they would be a fit and healthy mother and able to produce sons capable of defending Sparta - importance can be seen- if mother died in childbirth her name would be inscribed on her tomb