If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. They had no need to learn to sew or weave because the menial jobs in Sparta were taken care of by the helots. Cartwright, Mark. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. The Spartan hoplite endured rigorous training from the age of 7, to become a part of one of the finest type of warriors of the ancient world. They were encouraged to break the exclusive ties with their own natal families and to consider all Spartans of their fathers age to be [their parents]. "Sparta." Robinson, clocked at 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine, provides power and speed to a Falcons offense which has emphasized the running game under Smith. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. The Spartans settled the area of the Peloponnese in the valley of Laconia at some point in the 10th century BCE, and later displacing an indigenous people the perioikoi and the helots who were then subjugated. Did you know? However, the treaty only lasted six. It seems probable that the boys all ate together throughout the agoge, but at the age of maturity one needed to be elected to a certain mess also known as a "common tent" (a suskania). The Grand Strategy of Classical Sparta: The Persian Challenge, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. The Spartans also suffered reverses at sea. They attacked the Sicilian city Syracuse and campaigned in western Greece and the Peloponnese itself. Describe Sparta as a city-state? Women had their own sphere of influence and power but were not allowed to participate in any aspect of Greek warfare. Two of the ephors also accompanied one of the kings when on campaign. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Sparta, under Cleomenes (c. 520-490 BCE), overthrew the tyrants of Athens but the resulting democracy put a stop to any Spartan ambitions in the city. All Rights Reserved. Sparta, Modern Greek Spart, historically Lacedaemon, ancient capital of the Laconia district of the southeastern Peloponnese, southwestern Greece. This 1899 illustration depicts the racecourse at Sparta. This set the stage for Cleons rival Nicias to persuade the Athenians to accept the Spartans offer of peace. Spartan boys entered a rigorous state-sponsored education, military training and socialization program. The goal of the agoge was the transformation of boys into Spartan soldiers whose loyalty was to the state and their brothers-in-arms, not their families. Men who delayed marriage were publicly shamed, while those who fathered multiple sons could be rewarded. After a number of years, he was contacted by the Spartans asking him to return home. Urged on by the demagogue Cleon, the Athenians voted to massacre the men of Mytilene and enslave everyone else, but they relented the next day and killed only the leaders of the revolt. The so-called Peace of Nicias began in 421 and lasted six years. One such type of governing body was the city-state or polis. Even lower than the conquered population was a group called the helots. The agoge was the ancient Spartan education program, which trained male youths in the art of war. But Sparta was very different from the other Greek city-states. Spartan citizens required this support because they focused solely on athletic and military training, and politics. Metropolis (cathedral) dedicated to St. Demetrios at Mistra. The modern-day term laconic, meaning to express much in few words, comes from Laconia, the home of the Spartans. The end came in 405 when the Athenian navy was destroyed at Aegospotami by the Spartan fleet under Lysander, who had received much aid from the Persians. Leonidas was a Spartan king whose stand against the invading Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece is one of the enduring tales of Greek heroism, invoked throughout Western history as the epitome of bravery exhibited against overwhelming odds. They would not intervene while the punishment was inflicted, but afterwards they would judge whether it was excessive or too lenient. The well-built and sturdy children were allowed to live, while those who were deemed unhealthy or deformed were left at the foot of a mountain to die. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. According to some accounts, one test was to drop the baby into a vat of wine and, if it cried, it was considered too weak, but this may be apocryphal. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). For all the Spartans efficiency, they relied heavily on a limited set of maneuvers, and when those failed, they didnt have a plan B. Sparta and Athens are known as city-state with many contrasting beliefs. Spartan women could own property which they often gained through dowries and inheritances. Lycurgus reforms were comprehensive, including every aspect of the peoples lives, and, as he had mandated from the start, were not committed to writing; the laws would be kept in the peoples hearts because they would know these precepts led to the best possible society. Submitted by Joshua J. The following essay will focus on the main features of Spartan religion. The historical name of Sparta is Lacedaemon. Sparta was about fitness, survival, and war while Athens was about public . The expansion was the focus for Athens as well but via a more complicated process that included both military power and trade alliances. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. The paidonomos would learn from the Ephors what constituted excess or leniency and was often the overseer of punishments. The legacy of the program lives on, however, in the reputation of the Spartan warrior as a member of the greatest fighting force of ancient Greece who, for a time anyway, seemed invincible. what was sparta's focus as a city -state. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. From the age of seven, males had a militaristic upbringing known as the agg where they were separated into age groups and lived in barracks. Lycurgus was a Spartan prince whose older brother had died, leaving behind a pregnant wife. In part to attract mates, females engaged in athletic competitions, including javelin-throwing and wrestling, and also sang and danced competitively. Mark, J. J. World History Encyclopedia. The Spartan army showed the rest of Greece the way forward towards a greater military professionalism. Along with the surrounding area, it forms the perifereiak entita (regional unit) of Laconia (Modern Greek: Lakona) within the Peloponnese (Pelopnnisos) perifreia (region). In the following years their respective blocs observed an uneasy peace. Plutarch and other ancient historians report Spartan mothers killing their adult sons who had run from battle or in any way displayed signs of cowardice. Corrections? Cartledge notes: Election was competitive; a single no vote was enough to get a candidate rejected. Helots could not own property and so could not rise to become full-citizens, and this lack of social mobility would come back to haunt Sparta in later centuries. In the former battle, the Spartan soldiers arrived too late to assist the other Greek cities and in the latter mobilised only a token force as they felt compelled to first celebrate the Karneia festival in honour of Apollo. Which battle established Sparta as the most powerful state in Greece? If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. Boys entered the agoge at the age of 7 and graduated around the age of 30 at which time they were allowed to marry and start a family. The agreement was made official with the signing of the Peace of Nicias. The city lies on the right bank of the Evrtas Potams (river). Its real focus was to prepare Spartan males to be compliant members of society, who were ready to sacrifice their all for Sparta. Thucydides survived an attack of the plague and left a vivid account of its impact on Athenian morale. (2021, June 15). The Spartans constant military drilling and discipline made them skilled at the ancient Greek style of fighting in a phalanx formation. Sparta fought both foreign and neighboring adversaries. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. Between the 8th and 5th century bce, Sparta subdued Messenia, reducing the inhabitants to serflike status. At the age of seven, boys left home to begin training at a military academy called an agoge (a-go-je). All rights reserved. Sparta was one of the most dominant of all the Greek city-states, and is most often remembered for their athletic and militaristic values. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. After years of open warfare, Sparta offered peace and Athens accepted. Later historians, such as Plutarch (l. c. 45/50 - c. 120/125 CE) were more critical of the program. Sparta is one of the most famous states in the Classical era. This hilltop not only housed the famous Parthenon, but it also included temples, theaters, and other public buildings that enhanced Athenian culture. 5a. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Sparta was not as known for philosophers and artists as other Greek city-states, though it did have a strong tradition of poetry. https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/. Sparta gained revenge on Argos in c. 545 BCE but then lost a battle with Tegea shortly after. His two sons were both educated in the agoge program, and he maintains that there was no homoerotic element to the relationships at all. This made it very difficult for Spartans to accept innovation in war or politics.. How did the Spartans become so awe-inspiring? Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/. In his second season as Michigan State's starting point guard, Hoggard was named third-team All-Big Ten after averaging 12.9 points and 5.9 assists per game for the Spartans in 2022-23. When Spartan children were born, the male elders of the family decided if the infant was fit to live and be raised. Sparta and Athens, the chief city-states, differed profoundly in their culture and politics. (17.2-3). As in antiquity, it is served by the small port of Githion (Ythion), 28 miles (45 km) southeast, to which it is linked by a paved road. In fact, Spartan women became amongst the richest members of society, as their men were killed in the many wars, and eventually controlled 2/5th of Spartan land. Scholar Paul Cartledge describes the agoge as a "system of education, training, and socialization [that] turned boys into fighting men whose reputation for discipline, courage, and skill was unsurpassed" (32). Bibliography The Agoge was a trial by ordeal, as Paul Cartledge, a professor emeritus of Greek culture at the University of Cambridge, wrote in his 2003 book Spartan Reflections. At age 20, Spartan males became full-time soldiers, and remained on active duty until age 60. Xenophon says a Spartan army could perform maneuvers that others couldnt, because of their training, Cartledge says. They had an excellently trained military with diligent soldiers. The Spartans conquered their neighbors and forced them to live as slaves, providing agricultural labor. Spartas continued agitation spurred Romes war on the Achaeans (146) and the Roman conquest of the Peloponnese. Literacy was included in the curriculum but was not as important as military training and survival skills. There were many different dining messes, and it was imperative that a young man be elected to one of them. Some messes were of course more exclusive and desirable than others, none more so than the royal mess, in which both kings dined jointly with their chosen aides when in Sparta. Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. The precise date of the end of the agoge is unknown, but it did not survive the 396 CE sack of Sparta by Alaric I (r. 394-410 CE) of the Visigoths. World History Encyclopedia. what was sparta's focus as a city -state Hulda Gleason Lvl 10 2021-09-10 13:39:06 This answer is: Study guides US Presidents 19 cards What science is related to the study of world history. Originally Sparta was not that different from other Greek city states. What was the focus of Spartan culture? In 1834, Otto (1815-67), the king of Greece, ordered the founding of the modern-day town of Sparti on the site of ancient Sparta. Xenophon, however, denies there was any sexual element to the relationships of the boys in the agoge. Archaeological evidence, however, suggests that Sparta itself was a new settlement created from the 10th century BCE. World History Encyclopedia, 15 Jun 2021. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. Spartan warriors were also known for their long hair and red cloaks. Sparta was a powerful city-state in ancient Greece. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. They trained young men to become soldiers. Finally, in the spring of 431, a Spartan ally, Thebes, attacked an Athenian ally, Plataea, and open war began. The women of Sparta also ate communally, just apart from the men. The understanding that ones life was not ones own to do with as one pleased but belonged to the state which had given that life was inculcated for women through the examples of their mothers and their tutelage and, for men, through the Spartan training program of the agoge. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. Updates? Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! The Peloponnesian War was a war fought in ancient Greece between Athens and Spartathe two most powerful city-states in ancient Greece at the time (431 to 405 B.C.E.). Spartan boys started their military training at age 7, when they left home and entered the Agoge.
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