RWAAG Home, Sparta-->
Advertisement:
Products related to Ancient Sparta.
If you click above and follow the links to a purchase then this site receives a commission for its support.
According to myth it all started when Taugete bore Lacedaimon who wed Sparta. Sparta was a daughter of Eurotas by Cleta. These two provided the names for the region, Sparta for the capital and Lacedaemon for the region. The son of Sparta and Lacedaemon, Amyclas, founded Amyclae, near Sparta. Diomede married Amyclas and they had several children. Their son Argulas ruled Spata for a short while but since he died before his mother, his brother Cynortas ruled after him. Cynortas was the father of Oebalus. Oebalus married Gorgophone. When Oebalus died his son, Tyndareus, was scheduled to rule Sparta but his half-brother Hippocoon ursurped power. But he offended Herakles and perished with his ten sons when later attacked by Herakles and Tyndereus. In exile in Atolia at the palace of Thestius Tyndereus met Leda and fell in love with her. When Herakles caused the fall of Hippokoon Tyndareus took Leda to the palace near Sparta to rule Lacedaemon. Leda gave birth to Helen, Clytaemnestra, Castor and Pollux at that palace. Tyndereus gave Helen to Meneleus because he thought Meneleus was strong enough to care for her. When Paris took Helen from near Sparta, the friends of Meneleus started the Trojan War to get her back. After the Trojan war Meneleus visited Egypt and became very wealthy. He returned to the palace near Sparta with Helen and all his wealth. Hermione was the daughter of Helen and Menelaus. She married Orestes who ruled Sparta. Her son Tisamenus ruled Sparta until the Heraclidae invaded the Peloponnesus. The Heraclidae were the grandsons of Herakles. They claimed the Peloponesus because of descent from Alcmena, the mother of Herakles and daughter of a Mycenaean king. As a result of their victory they divided up the Peloponesus. Then the twin sons of Aristodemus, Eurysthenes and Procles jointly ruled and set up the lines of the historical kings of Sparta. This is one explanation for the peculiar dual king-ship of Sparta during the Classical period. Some have identified the Dorian invasion with the Heraclidae invasion, but there is little to support this as the Dorians have been determined to have come in from northwest of Greece. At any rate the Spartans seem to have been fond of tracing their ancestry directly to Herakles.
The name 'Sparta'; seems to be an Indo-European name. It relates either to the Indo-European word 'sper-2', to turn or to twist, or to the word 'spergh-', to move, hasten, or spring. The later relates to the word 'spartoi' in the myth of Kadmus while the former relates to weaving. Archaeology has confirmed that weaving was an important trade in the ancient Mycenaean culture. It is suggested that Lacedamon is also Indo-European. The first part of the word is related to 'laku-' a body of water. The word 'da-' means divider but damon means divinity in Greek. So the word may mean 'lake divinity'
Homer mentions Sparta in his catalog of ships in the Iliad, Book II. He says, "The men from the rolling lands of Lacedaemon deep in the hills; from Pharis and Sparta and Messe rich in doves; from Bryseiae and beautiful Augeiae; those from Amyclae and the seaside fort of Helos,; the villagers of Oetylus and Laas - all these came under the King's brother, Menelaus of the loud war-cry, with sixty ships, and had their separate station."
From the Odyssey we learn that Telemachos, the son of Odysseus, traveled to the palace of Menelaos in Lacedaemon. He traveled by oared ship from Ithaca to Pylos and then he traveled by chariot to Pherae in one day and on to the palace of Menelaus in another day. For the first part of the trip "they left the tall castle of Pylos, and flew on nothing loath into the plains." Homer does not describe crossing the mountains in their way but he says "By and by they came to a plain full of growing wheat..." Then he says "So now they were in the deep valley of Lacedaimon and drove up to the gate of the illustrous King Meneleus.". Later Homer says that "(Meneleus) was bringing from, Sparta the daughter of Alector for his son..." So we can conclude that Sparta was a town in Lacedaemon and the palace ruled over Lacedaemon but the palace was not at Sparta. The towns that Meneleus ruled seemed similar to the ones which Sparta later ruled in Lacedaemon. (Book III and IV)
From the Odyssey we also learn that, "Leda (was the) wife of Tyndereos, who brought him two stout-hearted sons, Scator the horse-master and Polydeuces the great boxer. These two were both buried in mother earth, and both alive; even deep in the earth they have a special privilege from Zeus, one day living, and the next day dead, so they have the gods own privilege." (Zeus granted them the priviledge of living on alternate daysk so one was always in Olympos, and one in the grave. Book XI) This passage may be important because it reveals not only a hero worship in Sparta for these two, but it also reveals an emphasis on sport that was very important to Sparta.
The visit of Telemachos to Meneleos near Sparta reveals something of ancient Spartan social structure. Menelaos describes Telemachos and Peisistratos as having "come of a line of princes ruling by divine right..." Some evidence of the social class is given because the feast included friends and neighbors. But were they landed neighbors with slaves or servants? And could the servants attend the feast? Within the palace were servants, a maid, a housewife, a meat carver, none of whom were named. But when Helen came out, with her came Adreste, Alcippe and Phylo. These were named attendants and so probably had more status.
When Telemachos visits Sparta he arrives by boat at Pylos and travels overland to Sparta. When Meneleos returns from Egypt he lands at Nauplia. One has to wonder if Meneleos traveled overland to Sparta. Sparta was nearly thirty miles from its port,Gythium, but the trip along the river from Sparta to Glythium was flat and easy while the land route from Sparta to Nauplia was twisted and mountainous. The suggestion is that Gythium was not developed in Mycenean times.
Derivations of the names:
Thus it might be concluded that Helen and her entire retinue were Indo-European and spoke Greek. This is the same language of the linear b tablets found at Pylos and dated to about 1250 BCE. The only compelling reason to separate the persons in the Odyssey from the classical residents of Sparta is the so-called Dorian invasion. After all, the classical Spartans referred to themselves as Dorians. But why would the Dorians invade and take up the language and literature of the defeated peoples? The point is that the Spartan culture may have had the same social stratification as the culture of Meneleos in the Odyssey. It might be worth the trouble to try to make comparisons anyway. As to the Dorian invasion a careful look needs to be made of this activity as to what it might have been.
Also in Book IV Asphalion is mentioned as a servant that pours water over hands to wash them. This named servant may have low status but his name seems Indo-European as well. His name is related to the word 'asphalt' which seems to relate to 'as-', 'to burn' and 'pohl-', 'to fall. This may relate to the property of asphalt that if you light it, then it burns as it melts and runs'. This does not support the idea that the classes of the palace of Menelaus have different cultures. All seem to be Greeks that have their culture related to the Indo-European one.
Also in this section Menelaus demonstrates his power. He says "Yes, I would have given (Odysseus) a city and house in Argos to live in, and brought him from Ithaca with his goods and his son and all his people--I would have cleared one of those cities which are around here, part of my own domain." This certainly suggests that Menelaus has a lot of power to do as he wishes.
With Helen being from Sparta and the most beautiful woman in the world, there can be no doubt that with her example Sparta was famous for her women. They are compared to precious metals with the grace of racehorses. Their hair is long and flowing.
In the Catalog of Women Hesiod states: "...to Sparta with its beautiful women".
See also: Click here
In many areas of Greece there is a marked break between the culture of the Trojan War and the culture of classical Greece. But in Sparta the connection may be less marked. Homer describes warrior bands that disappeared in other parts of Greece because they were no longer suited to hoplite warfare. The aristocratic focus of warfare was replaced by the more democratic hoplite approach. But in Sparta the warrior bands seem to have been transformed into the hoplite system by extending the band system to the rest of the society.
The Spartan system developed a marked segregation of the sexes. While the men were organized communally, the women were free to imitate their system of organization and education. There is every reason to believe that they underwent an education similar to the boys, centered on dancing and athletics. They mixed freely with the boys and like them exercised naked in public. This behavior shocked the other Greeks who exercised more restrictive sexual inhibitions. Female freedom was a contrast to male discipline and was disapproved by Aristotle. (Politics 2.1269b). Unfortunately the source of this freedom was probably the devaluation of the family and the subjugation of the female to the male ethos. The actual marriage ceremony represented the extent of this subjugation. The husband literally raped the bride by carrying her off. The bride's head was then shaved while she waited in a darkened room. But then the husband was forced to meet with his wife only clandestinely until he was past 30.
Life in Sparta life was fairly communal. The men aged 7 to 30 lived in barracks-like buildings and went to a communal meal. The women lived more in didividual homes. They participated in exercise and games in the morning and then went to the early mid-day meal. In the afternoon they saw to the business of their affairs including shopping and management of their property. They watched their land to see that it was well-cared for. This might involve a hike of some length as the Spartans did not necessarily live on their own land. They also watched the men work out. It was important for them to shout comments of encouragement and criticism. They had a second meal in the evening. Formal dancing, singing and other social activities were common. Then they retired for the night.
The religion of Sparta was the same as the rest of Greece. However, the community was more isolated and the did not believe in building defensive walls. They did not believe in luxury either. They were self-sufficient and very community minded. The Spartan men were formed into military teams that were trained and ready to defend the country in a very communal way. The Spartan women were community property and spent their whole time bearing and raising children. Slaves did all the manual work for the women.
Sparta was more isolated and dependent on agriculture while Athens was more cosmopolitan and dependent on manufacture and trade. Various arts in Athens flourished while Spartans felt the arts were too different and unnecessary.
While the art of Athens flourished, the art of Sparta languished. Ancient Sparta did not believe in fancy decoration. There is a museum at Sparta and some of its exhibits are visible at: Click here
The Spartan women were freed of all other duties except for the bearing and raising of children. They received a strenuous physical education consisting of running, throwing the discus, and casting the dart. They also participated in solemn feasts and dances where they performed naked for the young men, but in a modest manner. The source for this information is to be found in the drama Andromache by Euripides, line 594 Peleus Says to Menelaus:
No! A Spartan maid could not be chaste, e'en if she would, who leaves her home and bares her limbs annd lets her robe float free, to share with youths their races and sports,--customs I cannot away with. Is it any won- der then that ye fail to educate your women in virtue?
Kitto states (p221) that "It is orthodox to compare the repression of women in Athens with the freedom and respect which they enjoyed in Homeric society - and in historical Sparta". He then goes on to make certain statements which are critical of this repression. At any rate women in Sparta seem much freer. One story that I do remember is that the young women were encouraged to taunt the young men with the idea that this would toughen the men for the rigors of battle. Also I have read that the young females were kept naked for their own health. They were paraded in front of the young men and even encouraged to dance naked in front of them. This was supposed to encourage the young men to take wives and help the women have healthy babies. This scheme did not seem to work well because the number of male citizens dwindled in later classical times. The women in Sparta who were potential mothers of citizens were freed of all duties except the bearing and raising of babies. In other Greek cities mothers lived quietly at home and ate sparingly when they were pregnant. In Sparta women exercised, ate and drank freely. This tack might have worked as the Spartans were known for their size and strength. Of course the Athenian comics ridiculed the hefty Spartan women.
They also could own property. In Sparta women were more the property of the community and they formed liaisons with men as they chose. They could also own property by themselves. In Athens women did chores such as weaving or cooking, but in Sparta the women were free of all such chores. In both Athens and Sparta women were educated mainly by their mothers. In some case fathers and brothers would help. There are other possibilities for the education of women. Women commonly participated in choruses which involved the memorization of large passages of poetry. Women also participated in the rituals of temples where they could become priestesses. In such capacity they would have to both be educated and give education to others who follow them. Unlike many religions the priestess served appointments of short length that changed with their age so they may have served in numerous capacities throughout their lives.
Though Greek women were deprived of a public education, their success indicates that they had a better education than any women until recent times in the western world. In spite of the fact that they had no political or legal rights, no public education, and were totally bound to their husband and home, life was pretty good and they had opportunities beyond women in any other culture until modern times.
In fact, Aristotle feels that this fact ultimately contributed to the downfall of Sparta:
In the Politics 1269b13 he states: "Again, the license of the Lacedaemonian women defeats the intention of the Spartan constitution, and is adverse to the happiness of the state. For, a husband and wife being each a part of every family, the state may be considered as about equally divided into men and women; and, therefore, in those states in which the condition of the women is bad, half the city may be regarded as having no laws. And this is what has actually happened at Sparta; the legislator wanted to make the whole state hardy and temperate, and he has carried out his intention in the case of the men, but he has neglected the women, who live in every sort of intemperance and luxury. The consequence is that in such a state wealth is too highly valued, especially if the citizen fall under the dominion of their wives, after the manner of most warlike races, except the Celts and a few others who openly approve of male loves. The old mythologer would seem to have been right in uniting Ares and Aphrodite, for all warlike races are prone to the love either of men or of women. This was exemplified among the Spartans in the days of their greatness; many things were managed by their women. But what difference does it make whether women rule or the rulers are ruled by women? The result is the same. Even in regard to courage, which is of no use in daily life, and is needed only in war, the influence of the Lacedaemonian women has been most mischievous. The evil showed itself in the Theban invasion, when, unlike the women other cities, they were utterly useless and caused more confusion than the enemy. This license of the Lacedaemonian women existed from the earliest times, and was only what might be expected. For, during the wars of the Lacedaemonians, first against the Argives, and afterwards against the Arcadians and Messenians, the men were long away from home, and, on the return of peace, they gave themselves into the legislator's hand, already prepared by the discipline of a soldier's life (in which there are many elements of virtue), to receive his enactments. But, when Lycurgus, as tradition says, wanted to bring the women under his laws, they resisted, and he gave up the attempt. These then are the causes of what then happened, and this defect in the constitution is clearly to be attributed to them. We are not, however, considering what is or is not to be excused, but what is right or wrong, and the disorder of the women, as I have already said, not only gives an air of indecorum to the constitution considered in itself, but tends in a measure to foster avarice.""
Plutarch, Life of Lycurgus, Section III:
Lykurgus ought to have been the next king. And he did indeed reign until his brother's wife was found to be pregnant; but as soon as he heard this, he surrendered the crown to the child, if it should be a boy, and merely administered the kingdom as guardian for the child. The Lacedaemonian name for the guardian of a royal orphan is 'prodikus'. Now the queen made a secret proposal to him, that she should destroy her infant and that they should live together as king and queen. Though disgusted at her wickedness, he did not reject the proposal, but pretended to approve of it. He said that she must not risk her life and injure her health by procuring abortion, but that he would undertake to do away with the child. Thus he deluded her until her confinement, at which time he sent officials and guards into her chamber with orders to hand the child over to the women if it was a girl, and to bring it to him, whatever he might be doing, if it was a boy. He happened to be dining with the archons when a male child was born, and the servants brought it to him. He is said to have taken the child and said to those present, "A king is born to you, O Spartans," and to have laid him down in the royal seat and named him Charilaus, because all men were full of joy admiring his spirit and justice.
In Sparta women could own property and eventually the downfall of Sparta would be blamed on the fact that too many women owned too much property. Note that the men are not blamed for being over zealous which resulted in too many of their deaths.
In the drama Andromache by Euripides, line 594 Peleus Says to Menelaus:
No! A Spartan maid could not be chaste, e'en if she would, who leaves her home and bares her limbs annd lets her robe float free, to share with youths their races and sports,--customs I cannot away with. Is it any won- der then that ye fail to educate your women in virtue?
Sparta was mainly an agricultural state because of its inland location. It would have exported agricultural products such as wine and olive oil. The most important imports were metals.
In Sparta men citizens were warriors. The other men were slaves. There were visitor men from surrounding states that did trading and commerce. A few of the men were aristocrats as there were usually two kings in Sparta. These positions were hereditary. The kings had the right to wage war against anyone they wished, but they had the responsibility to engage first and leave the battlefield last.
The helots performed the labor and the perioci traded that labor for funds and goods the citizens, who only performed military duty, needed.
Though Sparta was not on the coast, its coastal territories included several ports which did participate in international trade. Mainly it exported agricultural products such as wine and olive oil and imported lumber, metals, and wheat.
Sparta emphasized sports and even allowed women to participate. The sports they participated in included the events of the Olympics. At that time the Olympics included no team sports but the Spartans participated in team sports.
Sparta sent many participants to the Olympics. The first Olympic women athletes were from Sparta.
The theater at Sparta can be viewed at: Click here
The acropolis of Sparta can be viewed at: Click here
The Sparta Museum has a number of images of artifacts of ancient Sparta: click here
Ancient Authors on Sparta:
Lesson Plans:
Current Material
A critique of this page found on From Progressive U Blog
S1 - What about the Spartans? They didn't really have a concrete religion (more agnostics than anything, they believed in higher powers but didn't really worship them, per se), yet they were some of the most respectful people in ancient Greece.
S2 - The, uh, Spartans weren't 'agnostic' . . .They followed the same religion as the Greeks before them. Link: http://www.fjkluth.com/sparta.html
S1 - First of all, the link you've provided looks like some amateur's work in the days of the dotcom boom
S2- Now now, don't discredit information because it doesn't use flash programming.
S2 - That web site is akin to someone writing an essay with massive issues in grammar, punctuation, and/or spelling.
This interchange documents the difficulties of the web. I put this information on as a benefit to the reader. It represents my best effort to research information of interest to the readers. I put references where I can. But instead of a reference to my diligence there is only a reference to my grammar, punctuation, and spelling. No effort is made to inform me of any difficulties. Nor are any references cited to help improve the quality of the data. So nothing is changed and nothing is improved and the value of truth is unchanged. Oddly the original statement is true that they did not have a concrete religion but they were not agnostics. Greek religion was not imposed as a belief system. The religion was believed to represent reality but the Greeks were open to the possibility of other truths. It was the search of alternate truths that lead to the development of modern science. But Spartans did not often pursue these alternate truths. The Athenians fared much better in this regard
Question: I wonder whether you can tell me how Spartan men dressed when they traveled in delegations to other cities
Answer: There is not much that can be said about what the Spartans wore during the classical period because there is so little written or pictured about their contemporary culture. An image of two Spartan statues is found at Bronze statuette of a warrior, c 490 BCE, Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford, CT.. Of the figure on the right Paul Cartledge, in his book "The Spartans" says, "The Spartan' red cloaks were a distinctive feature of the local hoplite uniform. This Laconian-made warrior wears his wrapped around him as if on watch on a chilly night. In fact, as his unusual transverse crest may suggest, his is probably meant to be a general, perhaps even a king. Note the chracteristically Spartan long hair, the combing of which before the Battle of Thermopylae astonished the Spartans' Persian enemies." It would be nice to know what is meant by the word 'cloak' in this context. It might mean 'chiton' or it might mean 'himation'.
Question: Those who travelled to the islands in delegations-- at the beginning of the Peloponnesian war, that is--would they have been Government officials, Generals, something else? I suppose they travelled by ship. I'm trying to picture what it may have looked like for the delegation to arrive (on a trireme?). I read about the red cloaks on the hoplites, but didn't think that would apply to those in leadership roles...so my image involves long-haired men in the standard tunic, arriving on a trireme. It seems I recall Thucydides writing about the ATHENIAN men wearing linen underwear and golden grasshopper hair barrettes. I assume the Spartans didn't have much truck with that sort of nonsense, so I picture them more austere, their tunics more uniform in style and length, pinned in the same way.
Answer: They might have travelled on a trireme but there would have been 150-200 men to row it. A trireme was not likey very comfortable to travel on. So delegations may have gone on sailing ships manned by 20 men. The quote that I gave you suggests that all Spartans dressed alike. Dress of the Spartans would have been plainer but similar to the dress of the Athenians. The word 'tunic' is not helpful. The Greek word for chiton is often translated tunic. But a tunic is a sewn garment while a chiton is simply rectangles of cloth. Linen underwear might mean a chiton worn under a himation. The image that I referenced seems to depict a garment that is carefully folded and the shape results from that folding. The shape would not have come from cutting pieces of cloth and sewing them together. This is consistent with classical dress.
The status of the delegation is not clear. There were special messengers whose job was to deliver a message and deliver a reply. Their special skill may have been memorization and public speaking. Delegates may have been no more than messengers. In Herodotus "Histories" 8.142 the phrase 'Σπάρτης ἄγγελοι' can be 'Spartan envoys' or 'Spartan messengers'. There can be no doubt that these men held special trust but it is not clear that they were politicians or political officials. They might not have even been Spartans. They may have been priests. The same concept of messenger applies to priests that are announcing the results of an augury.
There may be more. The messengers of the gods, Iris and Mercury, are commonly illustrated. One could easily assume that their attire represented the attire of envoys or delegates. Of particular interest is the caduseus. This is the symbol of the herald of ancient times. One could easily assume that a caduseus was carried by the delegates.
To ask a question about this topic note the topic (Sparta) and Click here
Review previous questions and answers
Advertisement:
Vendors: Art Supplies and Original Art -- Audio Books -- eBooks(books in digital form) -- Traditional Books -- Business to Business -- Collectibles -- College -- Computer HW(Hardware) -- Computer SW(Software) -- Construction and Built-in Decoration of Homes -- Consumer Electronics -- Cosmetics and Fragrances -- Costumes and Party Goods -- Events -- Flowers and Garden -- Furniture and Removable Decoration of Homes -- Games -- Gifts -- Groceries, Gourmet Food, and Wine -- Hair Care -- Handbags and Luggage -- Health Food -- Hotel -- Jewelry -- Kitchen and Dining -- Malls and Virtual Malls -- Men's -- Movies/DVD's -- Music -- Outdoors -- Parts and Accessories(Auto) -- Photo -- Posters, Prints and Painting Reproductions -- Shoes -- Toys -- Women's
If you click above and follow the links to a purchase then this site receives a commission for its support.
RWAAG Home, Sparta-->
