Spartan Society and Politics

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ANCH110

INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT GREECE

EMILY MELISSA LOWE

220136368

ASSESSMENT 2

SYNOPSIS WORD COUNT: 232

ESSAY WORD COUNT: 1619

SYNOPSIS

Q5: WHAT WERE THE MAIN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL FEATURES

OF SPARTAN SOCIEY, AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN ANY OF

THESE FEATURES?

One of the most romanticised, idealised and thought about Ancient Greek city

seems to have been the legendary Sparta, with its ‘flawless’ military system

due to a central focus by the society on combat. The wonderful and most inter-

esting aspect of this legendary image portrayed, is the ‘behind the scenes’ in-

formation that have been supplied by many Ancient historians whom also ad-

mired Sparta, where we have come to realise there may not be more to the city

than just a strong army; there is a fairly successful political structure, as well

as many social features which make Sparta unique to other Greek cities, most

importantly Athens, but all these features concentrate on building the strength

of the military. However, the information modern historians can gather and

access today that originate from the Ancient historians such as Plutarch, Aris-

totle and Xenophon, must be assessed carefully by a critical eye before receiv-

ing the information as pure fact, because history is all interpretation which the

historians are guilty of, subconsciously changing and playing with the facts to

match their personal and political perspective and to fit with the history they

are desiring to create. Therefore it may not be completely possible to explain

the concepts of Spartan society and politics in great detail and as actual fact,

but more as an interpretation of the materials we have available to us currently,

which shape our understanding.

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Q5: WHAT WERE THE MAIN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL FEATURES

OF SPARTAN SOCIETY, AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN ANY

OF THESE FEATURES?

The history of early and Classical Sparta is ‘handicapped’ by our problematic

evidence due to the fact that historians, both Ancient and Modern, ‘were im-

pressed by the prolonged political and military dominance of Sparta in Greece,

wherefore Sparta’s success led many Greeks to view it as a desirable model

and to idealise its community and institutions.’1 According to what most histo-

rians agree on, Spartan system of government remained essentially an oligar-

chy2 with many complex features which ensured the success of the Spartan

state. In regards to social features of Spartan society, military education was

the main concern of the state, as well as the importance of producing strong,

well-abled and skilled soldiers and the upbringing of Spartan boys being es-

sential to success and complete dominance. Group solidarity was important,

while individuality was discouraged, and women even seemed to possess a

small amount of societal value and power compared to Athenian women. The

main social and political features of Spartan society can be discussed and pin-

pointed, but not accurately or with subjectivity, therefore it may not be entirely

possible to explain these features thoroughly, and capture the true aspects of

Sparta.

The ‘Great law-giver’, Lykourgos, whom established the ‘Great Rhetra’ and

the successful ‘mixed constitution’ of Sparta, of which the political features of

Sparta stayed unchanged from commencement during the 7th Century BC,

through to the 4th Century BC3 and which created a strong military based polis,

still famous and idolised today. However, we cannot be completely sure as to

1 Roisman. J, ‘Archaic and Classical Sparta’, Ancient Greece from Homer to Alexander, Blackwell Pub-

lishing, 2011, pp. 86

2 Gates. C, ‘Archaic Greek Cities: Sparta’, Ancient Cities, ed. 2, Routledge, Oxen, 2011, pp. 228

3 Brennan. B, ‘Political Organisation and Social Structure’, Spartan Society: Interpreting the Evidence,

Ancient History Seminars, NSW, 2007. Pp.38

3

how successfully conservative Sparta really was, because while reforms might

be preserved to give an image of stability, practical realities could change.4

Xenophon even believed that possession of an empire made the Spartans diso-

bedient to ‘the laws of Lykourgos.’5

The first aspect of the Lykourgan laws was the Gerousia, the Elders whom

Plutarch states, ‘provided stability and common sense’6 to the constitution.

The Gerousia was made up of 28 Spartan men (gerontes), all over the age of

60 (which was when military service was no longer compulsory) and they held

their position for life, after being elected by the Ekklesia. The role seemed to

be strictly aristocratic, and election was a great honour, as they had wide judi-

cial power in serious criminal cases, and could even put the kings on trial.7

Plutarch discusses this ultimate power of the Elders, stating that ‘the powers of

the Gerousia were wide and it judged cases involving capital punishment, loss

of citizen rights or exile.’8 The limitation of reliance on Plutarch’s sources, is

that he wrote many centuries after the period of study, and therefore limits his

validity and reason. He does refer to many primary documents from early

Sparta however, but modern historians remain wary of his texts.

Secondly, the ‘Archaegetai, the founder-leaders’9 or two kings were the sec-

ond element of the Rhetra, whom were descendant from the ‘royal’ families

Agiad (Senior) and Eurypontid (Junior). They exercised absolute power on the

battlefield, including the right of summary execution of cowardice or treach-

4 Powell. A. ‘Life Within Sparta’, Athens and Sparta: Constructing Greek Political and Social History,

Routledge, Oxen, 1998, pp. 223

5 Xenophon, ‘Constitution’, Sparta XIV, found in Powell. A. ‘Life Within Sparta’, Athens and Sparta:

Constructing Greek Political and Social History, Routledge, Oxen, 1998, pp. 223

6 Plutarch, Life of Lykourgos, 1.1-3 found in ‘Sparta’, Ancient Greece: Social and Historical Documents

from Archaic Times to the Death of Alexander the Great, 3rd Ed. Routledge, 2010, pp. 225

7 Brennan. B, ‘Political Organisation and Social Structure’, Spartan Society: Interpreting the Evidence,

Ancient history Seminars, NSW, 2007, pp. 43

8 Plutarch, Life of Lykourgos, 1.1-3 found in ‘Sparta’, Ancient Greece: Social and Historical Documents

from Archaic Times to the Death of Alexander the Great, 3rd Ed. Routledge, 2010, pp. 225

9 Dillon. M and Garland. L, ‘Sparta’, Ancient Greece: Social and Historical Documents from Archaic

Times to the Death of Alexander the Great, 3rd Ed. Routledge, 2010, pp.217

4

ery.10 Aristotle’s statement that the kingship was a ‘perpetual generalship’ in-

dicates the military nature of Spartan kingship, and also reflects Spartan histo-

ry: kings who were successful in their roles and dealt well with the military

concerns facing Sparta, had great influence within the state.11

Male citizens over the age of 30 whom were wealthy enough to contribute, be-

longed to the Spartan assembly, the Ekklesia, the third aspect of the

Lykourgan Rhetra, these men had the right to vote on laws, decide on peace

and war and treaties, elect ephors and members of the Gerousia, and emanci-

pate helots, by acclamation12. However, they did not possess the power to

change the laws presented to them by the Gerousia, but could only accept or

decline them.

The last, and ‘democratic’13 aspect were the five Ephors, elected each year by

the assembly, and functioned as a board of magistrates, with executive, disci-

plinary and judicial powers. These men had wide-ranging policing powers

over the daily lives of citizens and helots, presided over meetings of the Ekkle-

sia, worked closely with the Gerouisa and even supervised the kings, and may

have held more power and influence over the Spartan state than the two kings

themselves.

‘Proud of their kings’ descent from the great hero Herakles, the life of Spartan

males was entirely devoted to the service of their state and to a career of mili-

tary training in which each individual was expected to demonstrate their will-

10 Dillon. M. and Garland. L, ‘Sparta’, The Ancient Greeks: History and Culture from Archaic Times to

the Death of Alexander, Routledge, 2013, pp. 235

11 Aristotle, ‘Death is Mine to Command!’ Politics, 1285a3-14, found in Dillon. M. and Garland. L,

‘Sparta’, The Ancient Greeks: History and Culture from Archaic Times to the Death of Alexander,

Routledge, 2013, pp.229


the Death of Alexander, Routledge, 2013, pp.238

13 Ibid. pp.243

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ingness to lose their life in battle for the good of the state.’14 Spartan’s social

features of society are harder to define and pinpoint compared to political mat-

ters, but it is common knowledge that there was a great importance placed up-

on military training and strength, as boys were taught from the age of seven

the ways of war. Spartan society encourages women and even young girls to

keep physically fit by exercising, to prepare them for the pain of childbirth,

and for them to rear strong men to add to the Spartan’s army. This social fea-

ture is portrayed in Plutarch’s text, where he states that ‘A woman, handing

her son his shield and encouraging him, said “Son, either with this or on

this.”15 Which stressed the role of mothers in the upbringing of Spartan sol-

diers.

Thucydides speaks of the educational system of Sparta, the Agoge, and states

that ‘the Spartans from their earliest boyhood, are submitted to the most labo-

rious training in courage.’16 The boys had a paidonomos, a ‘supervisor of edu-

cation’ whom had powers similar to those of a general over an army, and

whom aided the youth through their training.17 Xenophon notes that obedience

was a Spartan characteristic as a result to the rigorous training.18 Only basic

reading and writing was taught, as the emphasis of the Agoge was to strength-

en them to create great and successful soldiers.

In addition to the education system, pederasty was a social feature of Spartan

society where the young boy chose an older lover, an ‘inspirer’19, usually in

his 20s to early 30s, whom guided the youth and taught them courage and


the Death of Alexander, Routledge, 2013 pp.227


the Death of Alexander, Routledge, 2013, pp. 223-4

16 Thucydides, History, 2.38



18 Xenophon. ‘Constitution’, Sparta, 6.1-3

19 Cartledge. P. ‘Under the Sign of Lycurgus’, The Spartans: The world of the Warrior-Heroes of Ancient

Greece, Vintage Books, 2004, pp.69

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mentoring the habits of discipline.20 This was encouraged to continue as the

youth grew to become an adolescent. To further consolidate the tight bonds

created by the education system and pederasty, the youth attended a mess,

where all Spartiates dined together, the closeness and comradery of such

events were easily transferable onto the battlefield, and which strengthened the

army in turn. Many modern scholars deliberately leave out detailed infor-

mation on other aspects of a man’s life in Sparta, which leads to the assump-

tion that there are a lack of documents supporting this area of study, however

that does not conclude that historians should omit these features, as it creates a

tainted portrait of social features in Spartan society, as being completely mili-

tary based, where there may be a possibility that it was not.

Determining the social and political features of Spartan society can be as chal-

lenging to the modern scholar as it was for Ancient historians, as there can

never be confirmation of the sources that have provided abundant information

on Sparta. However, there seems to have been a successful and foundational

political system of a ‘mixed constitution’ and societal expectations which in-

fluenced the men to become strong soldiers, essential for the lengthy survival

of the legendary Spartan state.



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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aristotle, ‘Death is Mine to Command!’ Politics, 1285a3-14, found in Dillon.

M. and Garland. L, ‘Sparta’, The Ancient Greeks: History and Culture

from Archaic Times to the Death of Alexander, Routledge, 2013, pp.229

Brennan. B, Spartan Society: Interpreting the Evidence, Ancient History Sem-

inars, NSW, 2007

Cartledge. P. ‘Under the Sign of Lycurgus’, and ‘Women and Religion’, The

Spartans: The world of the Warrior-Heroes of Ancient Greece, Vintage

Books, 2004

Dillon. M and Garland. L, ‘Sparta’, Ancient Greece: Social and Historical

Documents from Archaic Times to the Death of Alexander the Great, 3rd

Ed. Routledge, 2010

Dillon. M. and Garland. L, ‘Sparta’, The Ancient Greeks: History and Culture

from Archaic Times to the Death of Alexander, Routledge, 2013

Gates. C, ‘Archaic Greek Cities: Sparta’, Ancient Cities, ed. 2, Routledge, Ox-

en, 2011

Plutarch, Life of Lykourgos, 1.1-3 found in Spartan Society, Brennan. B, An-

cient History Seminars, NSW, 2007

Powell. A. ‘Life Within Sparta’, Athens and Sparta: Constructing Greek Polit-

ical and Social History, Routledge, Oxen, 1998,

Roisman. J, ‘Archaic and Classical Sparta’, Ancient Greece from Homer to Al-

exander, Blackwell Publishing, 2011

Thucydides, History, 2.38

Xenophon. ‘Constitution’, Sparta, 6.1-3

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