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    The investigation of key features of Spartan society to the Battle of Leuctra
371 BC, through a range of archaeological and written sources and relevant historiographical
issues.

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ʹ the geographical setting, natural features and resources of ancient Sparta\

Setting and natural features ʹ

Sparta was situated around 200 meters above sea level at the northern end of the alluvial plain of Lakonia.
To the west of Sparta lay the Taygetus mountain range, the Parnon mountain range was situated on the
eastern side and the Arcadian mountains on the northern side. These mountain ranges provided Sparta with
a natural barrier around the valley. To the right of Sparta was the Eurotas valley, this plain provided fertile
soil for agricultural and pastoral activities, however a geological fault line ran through the valley causing
earthquakes in the area. The Spartan climate was cold in winters and hot in summers.

Resources ʹ
The rich agricultural lands produced barley, wheat, olives, grapes and figs. Animals were grazed on the lands
such as cattle, horses, goats, sheep and pigs which produced ,eat, milk, cheese, wool and hides. Sparta had
to import copper and tin to make bronze they were able to mine iron and lead and the coastline produced
the molluscs from which purple/red dye was made. The mountain ranges situated around Sparta provided
excellent hunting grounds and valuable timber. Bees were also colonised to provide wax and honey.
 ʹ Strabo reveals that Laconia has much arable land and easy to cultivate and it forms a natural
barrier from enemies. Messenia is a land of fine fruits and innumerable streams, abounding in pasturage for
cattle and sheep. ͞Whose fertile is greater than words can express. Laconia owns quarries of very costly
marble.͟

INCLUDE PICTURE

ʹ significant sites: Sparta

   

   
   
 
ʹ the issue of Lycurgus (the Great Rhetra)
Lycurgus was a historical figure who handed down the laws of Sparta after consulting the will of the gods.
The changes or reforms supposedly introduced by Lycurgus were in the form of the great Rhetra (any kind of
saying or pronouncement from a bargain or a contract, through an oracle to a law) and probably date from
the 7th century BC. The great Rhetra is significant because it was the foundation document of the Spartan
constitution. It appears to lim it the powers of the Kings and it was the particularly concerned with the
establishment of the Gerousia. The most important change noted by Plutarch was the establishment of the
Council of Elders. Plutarch examined over 50 sources about Lycurgus that were all contradicting each other
and he could not determine who he was. Herodotus also states that ͞By these changes they became a well -
ordered state, and they dedicated a temple to Lycurgus when he died and revere him greatly ͟. However the
great rhetra is missing information about the ephors which remains as an unknown question. The great
rhetra was later amended and this was this amendment was called the Rider. What was the amendment

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ʹ roles and privileges of the two kings

The two kings were from the two leading families (Euryponyids and Agiads) amoung original Dorian
tribesmen. Therefore the king was a hereditary position. The rol es and privileges of the two kings were
u‘ (political) Sat as members on the gerousia (council of elders) and could take part in debates, they
had no more power than the other 28. A strong king however could persuade the gerousia to vote
with them.
u‘ (judicial) They decided on the marriages of orphaned or heiresses, controlled all matters con cerning
public roads, controlled the adoption of children, unable to finalise a peace treaty but could establish
arrangements and conditions for ratification by the assembly..
u‘ (religious) They were chief priests, intermediaries between gods and men, each m onth they offered
sacrifices to Apollo for the city. The Kings appointed two pythioi to consult the Delphic oracle and
report on the oracles directions, it was the king͛s responsibility for the safekeeping of all oracles.
u‘ (privileges and honours) Received part of booty from war, given seats of hon our at religious
festivals, on their death special ceremonies were held, given skins of sacrificed animals. Plutarch says
- everyone stands except the Ephors and they were given double portions of everything

ʹ government:
h
 ʹ There were five Ephors, each known to be made from the 5 original villages that made up Sparta.
Each member had to be 30 years or older and they could only be elected for this position once in their
lifetime. The role of the Ephors was
u‘ (political) could arrest anybody without going through protests, could dismiss the king and imprison
him if he was doing a bad job, put the king on trial, controlled the Spartan magistrate, responsible for
foreign affairs and could expel a foreigner from Sparta and they accepted foreign ambassadors. They
had a large role in war matters, they had to approve of going into conflict/battle and they were in
charge of the agoge education system. They also advised the kings.
u‘ (judicial) They had the right to fi ne anybody on the spot for almost no reason and could collect
payment on the spot. They were responsible for criminal cases and had the right to implement
capital change.
u‘ (privileges and honours) They ate together and the rules were more relaxed for them w hen they
were in power.
Aristotle said that the ephors were open to bribery which made the system corrupt and noted that the way
they voted (shouting) was childish.
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ʹ social structure:
Lycurgus was said to have changed how Spartan society was organised. He made it so that the Spartan
citizens were given economic freedom and therefore agricultural, craft work and trade were the duties of
other ͚lesser; groups.
Spartiates ʹ
The main criteria for belonging to the citizen class of Spartiates or exclusive homoioi were
u‘ ownership of a plot of public land (kleros) the Kleros refers to a publically allocated piece of land that
Spartans were given to sustain them. Plutarch says that all Spartans were supposed to own the sae
amount of land to portray that they were all equal (homoioi) however Aristotle said that it was not
equal and some allotments were smaller than others. He also said that if a man had 3 male sons the
man could get out of the military and it was encouraged for citizens to have large families. The
property ownership of the land was considered very important, the spartiates not only got the land
but also had Helots working on them to get food and water which provided them with economic
freedom.
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u‘ Birth ʹ a full Spartan had to be able to prove that he was descendent from the earliest sons of
Herakles or the conquerors.
u‘ Membership in a military mess and the sharing of common meals (syssitia). The Syssitia is the name
given to the dinning mess to whi ch all Spartan men belonged. A Spartan became a member of a mess
group by applying to join a particular one, some messes were more exclusive than others. By all
accounts anyone desiring to join a mess was voted in the following way. Each member would take a
piece of bread and throw it in silence into a bowl which a servant carried on his head. If the vote was
a yes they threw the bread as it was, if it was a no they would squeeze the bread. If one person said
no, the person would not be admitted because it was their wish that all should be happy in each
other͛s company. At the messes the men not only shared means but also political discussion s and
stories of citizens great deeds. Plutarch said that the eldest member of the mess would indicate the
doors to each member entering and said ͞not a word goes out through these͟ indicating a private
and secret talk. In this way the messes became another way of training and developing the young
men. The Spartans would attribute the common meal to Lycurgus. According to Xenophon, the
syssita was instituted because it was realized that by the Spartans being at home it was not easy to
watch them and by organising the messes this would reduce disobedience and the drinking of wine
was put to a stop.
u‘ Successful completion of education and military system required (the agoge). This group formed elite
in Spartan society. They were a highly trained warrior class, holding all political power. (See
education system)

  , ͚inferiors͛, helots
ʹ role of the Spartan army
ʹ control of the helots: the military,   ,
  
ʹ artisans, helots
ʹ educational system: 
ʹ role and status of women: land ownership, inheritance, education

    !
ʹ land ownership: agriculture,
 helots
ʹ technology: weapons, a rmour, pottery
ʹ economic roles of the  
 dwellers around͛) and helots
ʹ economic exchange: use of iron bars, trade

 " # 
  $ 
ʹ gods and goddesses: Artemis orthia, Poseidon, Apollo
ʹ myths and legends: Lycurgus and the Dioscuri
ʹ festivals: :

, ?  ,  
ʹ religious role of the kings
ʹ funerary customs and rituals

 
  
ʹ art: sculpture, painted vases, bone and ivory carving
ʹ architecture: Amyklaion, Menelaion, the Sanctuary of Artemis orthia

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ʹ writing and literature: Alcman and Tyrtaeus

ʹ Greek writers͛ views of Sparta: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Aristotle,
Pausanias, Plutarch

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ʹ daily life and leisure activities
ʹ food and clothing
ʹ marriage customs
ʹ occupations.