sparta

Question 1

spartan geography

Answer 1

• southern region of Ancient Greece Laconia in Peloponnese peninsula

Question 2

main natural features

Answer 2

2 mountain ranges bordered by Taygetus (west) & Parnon (east) mountain ranges

• natural protction
• self-impsoed isolation (strabo ‘diff access for enemies’)
• Eurotas River flowed through, access to natural harbour or Gytheion
• subject to earthquakes as Sparta laid on a geological fault

Question 3

nautral resources

Answer 3

• Taygetus mountain range had dense forests that had many wild animals, best for hunting
• fertile valleys
• not blessed w/ abundant natural resources
• independent & self-suffieicnt
• didn’t rely on external trade and colonial acquisitions unlike other Greek states
• Strabo: ‘much arable land but diff to cultivate’ bc ‘surrounded by mountains’
• rich agri lands of Laconia produced CROPS: barley, wheat FRUITS: grapes, figs, olives LIVESTOCK: sheep, goats, pigs
• honey, wool, goat’s milk cheese
• Taygetus’ mountain forests provided timber & wild animals eg. wild voar according to Strabo ancient geographer
• mountains quarried for marble & limestone
• coastline around Gytheon port provided fish & seafood
• plentiful supply of clay along Eurotas River & iron ore

Question 4

significant sites

Answer 4

• scattered rural communities
• Eurotas flowed to town’s east
• acropolis of Sparta of 5 villages, didn’t have town centre
• base of acropolis had market where Council met
• shrines to family members of 2 royal families throughout town

Question 5

political organisation

Answer 5

• Spartan system of gvt was amalgamation of several styles of gvt including monarchy (actually diarchy), oligarchy, democracy
• constitution fully developed ‘The Great Rhetra’ stability admired by other Greek states from sources

Question 6

monarchy with 2 kings

Answer 6

• hereditary monarchy –> 2 royal families, Agiads & Eurypontids, claimed descent from Heracles
• shared tenure of power: dual kingship prevented singular individual from wielding too much power
• held in high regard but could be disposed by ppl
• succeeded by eldest son
• eldest male rule until minor becomes of age
• swore oath to uphold constitution –> position guaranteed by ephors if kings acted according to constitution –> maybe ephors had power over kings

Question 7

religious roles of kings (monarchy)

Answer 7

• chief priests & Zaus Lacedaemonios & Zeus Uranios, their respective families’ patron gods
• appointed 2 pythioi who consulted the oracle at Delphi
• expected to sacrifice Apollo monthly & sacrifice to gods before battle
• held office if maintained Gods’ pleasure

Question 8

judicial roles of kings (monarchy)

Answer 8

• greatly reduced by 5th century BC –> only covered 3 areas of Spartan life
• responsible for legal matters of adopting children, decide on marriage partner for orphaned heiresses, all matters for public roads & highways (infrastructure)

Question 9

privileges of kings (monarchy)

Answer 9

• supported at expense of state
• best seats at religious festivals
• receieve skins of animals sacrificed in religious ceremony
• 1st seat at banquests, receieved double portions of meals
• 10 day mourning period (public businesses suspended, wear mourning clothes & attend funeral)

Question 10

kings’ military roles (monarchy)

Answer 10

• army’s supreme commander
• right to declare war
• only 1 king went into battle
• unlimited power of life & death over troops in army
• personal bodyguard of 100 (bodyguard had high honour_
• conduct military campaign, accompanied by 2 ephors who reported on King’s conduct, failure –> punishment, persecution

Question 11

oligarchy (gerousia (30)

Answer 11

• most of gvt’s legislative & judicial powers vested in the gerousia/Council of the Elders
• 28 elders & 2 kings
• membership must be male > 60 years old (bc no longer expected to fight)
• member for life, great honour, elected by the ekklesia via acclamation –> potential bribery, corruption
• probouletic body

Question 12

judicial roles of oligarchy

Answer 12

• prepare & debate on bills –> pass to ekklesia who vote
• gerousia could intervene & maybe override vote of ekklesia
• court for criminal cases eg. murder, treason
• punishments from fines, banishment, death
• ephors were supreme court of appeal

Question 13

legislative roles of oligarchy

Answer 13

• part of the executive branch of gvt

Question 14

democracy (5 ephors & ekklesia)

Answer 14

ephorate: very democratic, held admin & judicial power very powerful in gvt
* 5 ephors age 30 male
* mystery origins
* democratically elected by citizens in the ecclesia for 1 yr, cant repeat, after term ended returned to being private citizens
* could be trialled if behaved inappropriately in office

Question 15

responsibilities of democracy

Answer 15

• 2 ephors supervised king while opn campaign
• supervised the krypteia
• formally declared war on the helots at beginning of term
• controlled public finances

Question 16

military roles of democracy

Answer 16

• organised mobilisation of army in war

Question 17

judicial roles of democracy

Answer 17

• can call kings to account –> kings could bend their will
• also criminal court
• judges in criminal cases involving perioikoi
• supreme court in sparta

Question 18

administrative roles in democracy

Answer 18

• controlled the agoge
• control Spartan foreign policy, foreign envoys couldnt enter Sparta w/o permission of ephors
• kept surveillance of many magistrates
• summoned meetings of gerousia & ekklesia, presided over meetings & can produce legislation
• controlled the helots

Question 19

ekklesia

Answer 19

spartiate males who gained automatic entry once turned 30 unless citizenship revoked

• limited roles

Question 20

legislative roles of ekklesia (democracy)

Answer 20

• met monthly & voted on laws introduced by the ephor
• vote for/against law through acclamation
• couldnt debate, vote could be ignored by gerousia & ephors
• could declare war

Question 21

political roles of ekklesia (democracy)

Answer 21

electoral functions

• responsible for election of gerousia & ephors
• decided on disputes for royal succession
• responsible for freeing helots

Question 22

evaluation of democracy

Answer 22

• Sparta was democratic to limited extent
• at heart oligarchical system where wealthy accumulated influence & power
• only demographic represented in Spartan political system were male Spartiaites, who even limited extent (despite residents including helots, perioikoi, female spartiates)
• ekklesia limited powers, most democratic gvt
• ephorute selected among poor to corruption & bribery

Question 23

social structure

Answer 23

3 main groups, smaller group ‘inferiors’

1. spartiates
2. perioikoi
3. helots

Question 24

spartiates

Answer 24

• elites, male citizens
• underwent agoge
• entitled full legal & political rights
• automatically became members of ekklesia when 30 after completing the agoge
• could lose citizenship via cowardice, breaking law –> ephors & gerousia could revoke citizenship, become member of inferiors
• must be member of syssitia, undero agoge, have Dorian descent
• not all same financial status

Question 25

roles of spartiates

Answer 25

SOCIAL * control youth * maintain ethos & State's ideas * Keep helots inplace FAMILY * limited * arranged marriages * lived apart from wife until 30 yo MILITARY * training/edu * discipline/obedience * lack individualism ECO * not allowed to farm or trade * given land POLITICAL * citizen from 30 yo * active, epxected direct participation

Question 26

perioikoi

Answer 26

* free non-citizens from villages in surrounding area * self-governing & autonomous settlements but had to obey Spartan laws * eco purpose * financial & diplomatic obligations, paid tribute to Kings * rofferered citizenship when SPartiate pop was declining * supervised by ephors & subject to tax * used as buffer betw Spartiates & helots, loyalty to spartiates due to prosperity --> become hoplites --> social superiority to helots * excluded from votes, participating in agoge, marrying Spartiates, voice in gvt (lack political rights)

Question 27

roles of perioikoi

Answer 27

SOCIAL * culturally & linguistically indistinguishable from Spartiates MILITARY * soliders in army * fought as hoplites, less training than SPartans ECO * primary producers of agri & material goods (craftsmen) * foreign trade

Question 28

inferiors & 4 types

Answer 28

* not slaves, perioikoi or citizens * no rights, couldnt join ceremonies/festivals/marry/have children w/ Spartan women * women belonging to their HH couldn't be married * relation w/ Spartiates hostile 1. Partheniai: illegitimate offspring of Spartiate men & helot/perioikoi women 2. Neodamodes: helots granted freedom for their service to Sparta 3. Mothoces: sons of helots who train with Spartan boys during the agoge 4. Tresantes: Spartans who had citizenship revoked due to cowardice --> rejected by syssitia

Question 29

helots

Answer 29

* Greeks * worked land for their Spartiate masters, aka domestic servants, personal attendants * some had military role & earned freedom after * mostly servile labour in HH/agri slaves * Spartiates' agri & material needs * ban on individual manumission & foreign sale

Question 30

control of the helots

Answer 30

* plutarch says in festival they were forced to drink wine, paraded in front of the syssilia to humilitate themselves to teach youths evils of drunkenness, indoctrinating social structure

Question 31

syssitia

Answer 31

* compulsory group where Spartiate men 20/+ yo socialise * equality of Spartiates bc served same meal --> fellowship, unity, camaraderie * must attend daily, * monthly contributions from each member from their own estates --> farmed by helots (unfinished)