The army

Question 1

who does plut compare the spartan state to in lyk 30?
what does he mean?

Answer 1

the state is compared to heracles, protecting order of greece, punishing bad and rewarding good. he sees sparta as a collective person who is wise and just - eg using arbitration not war.

regularly he claims that sparta are the liberators of greece and rule as a teacher figure and hegemon, which the rest of hellas obliges

Question 2

what does plut lyk 30 say about spartan leadership?

Answer 2

spartan kings were exceptional leaders, but this was partially to do with the great obedience of their hoplites (which is instilled by good training/leadership)
spartan commanders were sought after in greece, with cities requesting aid asking for a general instead of men or ships (eg. brasidas, gyllipos, lysander - also saved on dwindling hoplite pop. wasted on allies)

Question 3

Why does plut portray sparta as a teacher in lyk 30?

Answer 3

shows them to be a teache of good order of greece, acting as caste for foreign magistrates to follow spartan officials’ lead.
mentions athens and elaos being but in charge of something and if they fail, the spartans should be flogged - ie. similar to tutor-student relation of being punished for teaching wrong

mentions thebans strutting round like “little boys… Boasting of how they have beaten up their tutor”

Question 4

what does aris pol 1271 criticise about sparta?

Answer 4

mentions plato criticising sparta for being too militaristic (good in war, bad in peace) because they know nothing else and although know that virtue is neccesary for victory, they come to view the victory as more important than the virtue

Question 5

why does xen lac pol 11 say the army is so efficient?

Answer 5

ephors call up craftsmen, cavalry and hoplites who are required to have a uniform of red cloak, bronze shield and could wear their hair long if come of age.
baggage train would be loaded with everything needed to sudtain men in war and peace and everything was organised to a tee

Question 6

how does xen lac pol 11 illustrate spartan ranks and formation?

Answer 6

clear hierachy dividing big groups into smaller with obvious leaders. all spartans trained for phallanx formations and to understand commanders shouts perfectly - good discipline

soldiers all know to deploy to left and how to react to orders (CLAP)

Question 7

what is the formation of a spartan camp?
(xen lac pol 12)

Answer 7

circular formation (unless have high ground, walls etc) with sentries looking inwards (“protect them from their friends, not their enemies” - helots, sarcasm; also avoided due to athenian audience dislike of enslaving greeks)
cavalry patrols outside, skiritai (specialist periokoi recon)

theu moved camps regularly

Question 8

what rules did hoplites follow on camp?
(xen lac pol 12)

Answer 8

had to carry spear at all times, slaves not permitted near arms stores, if needed to piss could leave perimeter but not too far, must exercise daily (exercise area and track no larger than regiment camp)

Question 9

what was the timetable for a hoplite on camp?
(xen lac pol 12)

Answer 9

exercise, sit down (inspection), lunch, changing of guard, rest and rec. until evening exercise, supper, hyms to gods, sleeping with weapons

Question 10

what does plut. lyk 22 say soldiers liked about being on campaign?

Answer 10

allowed to be well groomed and presentable, liked to fight “like horses… at the bit whinnying with excitement for the coming contest” and physical exercise was eased:
“for lacedaimonians, war brought relief from their training for war”

Question 11

How do they begin the march into battle?

Answer 11

king sacrifices she goat, pipers play hymn to kastor, march in time with pipers

Question 12

what does the rituals before beginning a march give to spartans?

Answer 12

“purpose, combined with high hopes and total confidence that god is on their side”
shows is a highly religious society, benefit from confidence and have great discipline

Question 13

in plut lyk 22, what role does an olympic victor serve in the battle?

Answer 13

king’s bodyguard, fiercely competitive position:
when asked why wrestler fought so hard to win match he replied “when we go to battle against our enemies,I’ll be the one who guards our king”

Question 14

why don’t spartans chase their enemies when they’re routed?

Answer 14

as an exercise of clemency and an incentive to not give battle for other enemies - thought it “un-greek to hack their enemies to pieces”

Question 15

what reason did xen lac pol 9 give for punishing cowardice and rewarding bravery?

Answer 15

supposedly lower casualty rates “survival usually seems to favor the bold” which benefits the state, cowards essentially kill their comrades so they are completely socially ostracized

Question 16

what does plut 21 say songs are about?

Answer 16

they praised heroes and condemned cowards

Question 17

how does aris pol 1271 show increase in peoples power?

Answer 17

“navarchy has been established as virtually another kingship”, an average citizen can reach the same power/ status of a king.

aristotle dislikes this.

Question 18

how does lysander contradict what xen says in hell. 2.1?

Answer 18

xen states you can’t be navarch twice but lysander basically does this for a good few years

Question 19

what does thuc. 2.9 reveal about composition of spartan lead forces?

Answer 19

very few actual spartans within ranks, mostly foreign allies

Question 20

hdts reason for athenians taking hegemony from sparta in 8.3?

Answer 20

because of pausanias’ corruption and arrogance

Question 21

how may spartans does diodorus 11.63 say died in the earthquake?

Answer 21

more than 20,000

Question 22

why do the helots revolt?
diod 11.63

Answer 22

the earthquake kills most of the spartans so they thought a cowardly kick while they were down could finish them

Question 23

what does hdt 9.28 cite as the ratio of helots to spartans and why was this a problem?

Answer 23

7:1 which is why they had to watch inside the camp, have the crypteia, massacre behind a temple etc. in sheer numbers they were extremely dangerous

Question 24

why is xen lac pol 14 so useful?

Answer 24

it explicitly states the spartan values held within our period

Question 25

what values does xen lac pol say have been lost?

Answer 25

simplicity, community, moderation, equality, incorruptability, morality, hatred of greed + tyranny, isolationism, hard work ethic, helping the weak and oppressed

Question 26

what does plut lysander 7-8 say about lysander's attitude to open combat?

Answer 26

the appointed "deputy" (who was actually in command) acknowledged that the spartan favoritism of honest hard fighting was effective but did not share their hatred for sneaky tactics and trickery - hence his success at aegospotimi

Question 27

what does plato alcibiades 1.122 say about spartan wealth?

Answer 27

"there is not in all greece as much gold and silver as is in private hands in lacedaimon" sparta imported nothing and exported lots, so despite in theory having no gold, they never offloaded what was brought in by the periokoi; of which a large tax went to the king

Question 28

what is pluts story in lysander about gylippus embezzling money?

Answer 28

lysander sends athenian riches back to sparta with gylippus' fleet, he slits open the bags leaving them sealed and sews them up. when the bounty reached sparta, ephors opened them and found notes stating the contents which didn't add up. gylippus was grassed on by a servant and the booty was found under his house tiles - another spartan leader corrupted abroad

Question 29

what does lysander try to do in plut lys 17

Answer 29

bring gold and silver back into sparta, but some elders beg the elders not to lift the ban. it is quickly withdrawn and the funds reserved for public use but it was too late and the spartans already has a new love of money

Question 30

when was coinage returned according to plut. lyk. 30?

Answer 30

in the reign of agis by lysander who was incorruptable himself but the citizens were less so

Question 31

What does plut aegiselaos 1 tell us about the education of kings?

Answer 31

Future kings exempt from agoge although ageisilaos went through it and was a better king for it

Question 32

Plut lys. 3 on the commands of Alcibiades and Lysander?

Answer 32

If Athens kept Alcibiades on side, they could have won the war and Lysander was an asset to Sparta

Question 33

What does lys. Do at the start of callicitradidas’ command in plut lys. 6?

Answer 33

He sends all the money he got from Persia back so cal. Had to beg for it to his humiliation and failure. Cal. Was also a racist and when denied promised to unite Greece and march on Persia

Question 34

What comes about from lys. Discussions with Cyrus in plut. Lys. 4?

Answer 34

Through likability lys secures an extra obol per man per day from Persian gold - he still shrinks from an Athenian naval engagement though

Question 35

Why is alc. exiled after notion in plut lys. 5?

Answer 35

Antiochus doesn’t listen and fights the Spartans and looses, alc is exiled and so are hopes of an Athenian victory

Question 36

What does lys do after the battle of notion (plut lys 5)?

Answer 36

Gathers all the rich Ionian’s and promises them oligarchies if they follow him - secures their personal loyalty

Question 37

According to xen. Hell 2.1 what position does lys fulfil in the fleet?

Answer 37

He is deputy to Arakos - he was really in command but you couldn’t be navarch twice, so because of the loyalty of ionians and Persians he was given a get around

Question 38

What happens after the battle of argunusae?

Answer 38

Athens wins using ships rowed by slaves but because generals don’t pick up bodies/survivors 8/10 successful generals killed

Question 39

What comes with Cyrus’ donations to lys force in xen. Hell. 2.1?

Answer 39

A warning not to fight Athens until the fleet outnumbers them

Question 40

How does lys. Kill time in plut. Lys. 9 before fighting Athens?

Answer 40

Reduces some Ionian cities then heads to the unguarded Hellespont to aegospotiomi

Question 41

What does plut. Lys. 10. Say happened in the build to aegospotimi?

Answer 41

Sparta sails out every day, refuses to engage and both turn back. Athens grows complacent. Alcibiades tries to warn Athens to be more cautious but they don’t listen

Question 42

How did lys win aegospotimi in plut lys. 11?

Answer 42

Sails out as normal, waits for Athens to go back and disembark, raises bronze shield and advances at speed. Athens caught on beach and captured on the beach (3000 and whole fleet captured)

Question 43

What does xen. Hell. 2.1 say about prep for aegospotimi?

Answer 43

Same as plut. Mentions spartan forces travel round Ionian coast while Athens stays in open water

Question 44

Xen hell. 2.1 contribution to battle of aegospotimi?

Answer 44

Same as plut, but Conon escapes with 9 ships

Question 45

What does xen hell. 2.2 say about the discussion of Athens’ surrender between the Peloponnese?

Answer 45

Corinth and Thebes wanted to sack the city, Sparta doesn’t because of Persian wars contributions Decided to destroy long walls and piraeus, leave only 12 ships and return the exiled oligarchs from 411 coup Went tearing down walls, “thinking this was the day that heralded freedom for Greece”