Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Geographical Setting
East: Parnon Mountain Range
North: Arcadia Mountain Range
Lay of Eurotas River
Cold winters and hot summers
Resources
Crops: barley, wheat, grapes, figs
Animals: sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, bees, hare, wild
bore
Marine: shellfish (purple dye), octapus (red dye)
Significant Site
Lacked town centre
Market located at bottom of Acropolis
Memorials to Leonidas and Pausanias at market
Fruit tress and vines grown as stone washed down and
made crops difficult to grow
page 1 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Priest of Zeus
page 2 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Council of Elders
28 member and 2 kings
Formed an aristocratic elite
Males over age of 60 and held office for life
Government: Gerousia Prepared business and agenda for Ekklesia
Deliberated on Public Policy
Tried cases involving kings
Had right to impose loss of citizenship rights, death or
exile
Government: Ekklesia
Elected the ephors, elders and other magistrates
Responsible for passing measures put before it
Voted by acclamation
Presidied over by kings, gerousia and ephorate
page 3 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Sprariates
Had to prove Dorice descent, submit to Agoge and be a
member of Syssition
Owned most of land in Eurotas Valley and Messenia
Each given a portion of land - Kleros
Could not take part in trade
'Dwellers around"
Free inhabitants of communities scattered throughout
Messenia and Laconia
Communities were autonomous but answerable to State
Perioeci Craftsmen and manufacturers
Some became wealthy
Not eligble to take part in government
Expected to fight if military emergency
Outcasts
Hypomeiones (Inferiors): those who had lost citizenship
Parthenai: children of Helot mothers and Spartan fathers
Also were Helots freed by state and Helots for foster
brothers and playmates
Helots
Restricted property rights and some land rights
Could be rewarded citizenship for deeds performed
during military service - RARE
170,000 to 224,000 helots
Fears by Spartans due to number
Revolted in 465BC and took 10 years to be back under
control
page 4 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Comprised: 4 Enomotiai
Spartan Army: Pentekostys Commanded: Pentekonter
Comprised: 4 Pentekostys
Spartan Army: Lochos Commanded: Lochagos
Comprised: 7 Lochoi
Spartan Army: Mora Commanded: Polemarch
page 5 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Kinghts
Spartan Army: Hippeis 300 men who guarded the
king
page 6 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Education system
Designed to make fierce warriors and instill patriotism,
loyalty, obedience and comradship
Paidonomas: government official in charge
Birth: children examined by a Council of Elders at
Lesche to determine if it lived or died
Agoge 0-7: raised by mother at home
7-12: enrolled in age group (agelai) and went to live in
miliary barracks where they learnt miliary skills as well as
basic reading and writing, learnt to fend for themsleves,
obey orders, share and get on with others. Learnt music,
dance and althetics at 10
page 7 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Women: Property
Classical period: could inherit father kleros but had to
pass it on to her offspring
End of classical period: could own property without male
guardians
Owned 2/5 of land
page 8 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Landownership
Issue of landownership fundamental factor in Spartan
decline
Each Spartan male given a kleros and a number of
Helots who would work the property
Output from Kleros provides not only enough food to
feed family but to provide Syssition share
Technology: Pottery
Greek world
Best example is Arcesilas Cup
Eventually copied Attic red figurware
Very littler known about painters and potter and their
industry
page 9 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Economic Exchange
bars because they needed to pay for mercaneries and
send embassies abroad
Did not mint coins until 3rd century BC
Trade carried out by Perieoci
Conducted through Port at Gytheum 46km from Sparta
on Laconian coast
Main exports: wool, wine, oil, pottery and bronzes
Shrine at Amyclae
Statue of Apollo with spear in one
Gods & Goddesses: Apollo hand and bow in the other
Celebrated at Karneia fesitival
page 10 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
page 11 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Information is sparse
Appear to have practised simple burial customs either pit
graves or tile graves
Permitted for warriors to be buried on the battlefield with
Rituals
inscribed monuments
Period of 11 days set for mourning
Spartan's encourages to view death as familiar and
normal
Soldiers wrapped in red cloak and olive leaves placed
around them
page 12 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Born 490BC
"The Histories"
Sparta: Herodotus
Details duel monarchy, supersititions, and troop
preparation for Battle of Thermopylae
Women appear frequently
Born 460BC
"History of the Peloponesian War"
Greek Writers' Views of
Theme is long-drawn out conflict
Sparta: Thucydides between Sparta and Athens
page 13 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
Born 43BC
"The Persian Empire"
Greek Writers' Views of Simple and rather uncritical look at Spartan
Sparta: Xenophon institutions - "Constitutions of the
Lacedaemonias"
Ascribes everything to Lycurgus
Born 384BC
Greek Writers' Views of Not a particularly high view of Spartan system
Condems the fact that women owened 40% of
Sparta: Aristotle land
Not all accounts survived
Born AD50
"Plutarch Sparta"
Greek Writers' Views of Wrote about life of Lycurgus and various kings
Not a critical reader
Sparta: Plutarch Much of legend we have about Spartan system is
because of his positive view of Lycrugus
Flaws in account
"Guide to Greece"
Valuable information about
Greek Writers' Views of
topography and ruins that existed
Sparta: Pausanias in Sparta
Objective accounts
page 14 / 15
Flashcard Set Title: "Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371BC"
Study this set online at: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/spartan-society-to-the-battle-of-
leuctra-371bc-2462433
page 15 / 15