Greek Organisation and Command

Question 1

Who are the Eurypontids and Agiads?

Answer 1

The two ruling families of Sparta

Question 2

Who is Herakles?

Answer 2

The Greek God of the gymnasium

Question 3

What is the Gerousia?

Answer 3

Council of Spartan elders

Question 4

Who are the Ephors?

Answer 4

Spartan ‘overseers’ who watched the King and reported on his progress- they could remove him from the throne

Question 5

What is a Neodamodes?

Answer 5

‘New citizens’
- What a freed Helot would become

Question 6

What was a regiment?

Answer 6

• Athenian army was split into 10
• One from each of the Athenian tribes

Question 7

What was a lochoi?

Answer 7

A smaller group that made up part of a regiment

Question 8

Who were the Spartan Kings?

Answer 8

• One from each of the ruling families (Euryontids and the Agiads)
• Thought to be descended from Herakles

Question 9

What did the Spartan Kings do, and how much power did they have?

Answer 9

• Leaders of the military, one one would always lead the army on campaign whilst the other stayed behind in Sparta to govern
• Religious leaders, responsible for performing rituals and sacrifices for the Gods
• Did not have absolute authority- the gerousia would have more power than them, and they could also be removed from their roles by Ephors
• Lead from the frontlines in battle

Question 10

How was the Spartan army divided?

Answer 10

• Large regiments (mora)
• Each regiment was divided into small subdivisions with their own commander

Question 11

Who was in control of the Spartan army?

Answer 11

• The King
• There were also senior officers (Taxiarchs) who were directly responsible to the King and may have acted as advisors

Question 12

What were the names of the different Spartan subdivisions and who led them?

Answer 12

Mora- led by a Polemarch

Lochos- led by a lochagos

Penekostys- led by a Pentekonter

Enemotia- led by an Enomotarch

Question 13

How many men were in an Enomotarch?

Answer 13

• About 40
• It would contain the members of 2 or 3 syssitions

Question 14

Who were Perioikoi and what would they do during peace time?

Answer 14

• Non-Spartans who had been subjugated by Sparta, but were allowed to live in their own small, self-governed communities
• Craftsmen, fishermen and hunters

Question 15

What would Perioikoi do during war?

Answer 15

• Act as an Auxiliary army- wear hoplite armour and fight in their own phalanxes
• They’d also use crafting skills to repair weapons and armour on campaign

Question 16

What would helots do in peacetime and in war?

Answer 16

• In peacetime, they’d do manual labour
• On campaign, they’d serve as cooks, equipment carriers and message runners
• They could also fight as lightly armed troops, but weapon stores would be carefully guarded to avoid an armed uprising

Question 17

What was the motivation for Helots to fight for Sparta?

Answer 17

FEAR
- Krypteia terrorised helot communities and let them know that any disobedience would result in their death

CHANCE TO ESCAPE THEIR LIVES
- Sparta had a custom of rewarding helots who showed particular bravery in battle
- They could earn their freedom and become a Neodamodes, where they’d be similar in status to Perioikoi

Question 18

What were the support roles in the Spartan army?

Answer 18

Soothsayers
Surgeons
Flute players

Question 19

Who would have lead Athenian regiments, and what else would they do?

Answer 19

• A Strategos would be elected each year by each tribe
• Ten Strategoi would meet to discuss matters of military strategy

Question 20

What were the smaller sub-divisions in the Athenian army, and who else would have power in each regiment?

Answer 20

• Lochoi
• Each regiment also had a Taxiarch, who’d be the second in command