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Spartan Life and Culture

Introduction

Spartan civilization is known as a warrior society in ancient Greece that reached the height of its power after defeating Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.). Spartan culture was centered on loyalty to the state and military service. This paper will discuss the Spartan life and culture.

Discussion

Spartan Society

Sparta was an ancient Greek city which was also known as Lacedaemon. It was the chief city of Laconia, located on the west bank of the river Eurotas, and extended to the north of the modern city of Sparta. Present day southern Greece is the place where it was located and called Laconia. There were three major groups which comprised the population of Sparta. The Spartans or Spartiates, own the full citizenship and Helots were slaves. Lastly perioeci, who were neither citizens nor slaves, who worked as traders and craftsman and used to built weapons citizens of Sparta.

Spartans/ Spartiates

They were full citizens. They must be children of both parents at birth and Spartans had to be declared physically fit by the elders, only then were enrolled in the lists of citizenship. They were a few thousands, and enjoyed all the civil and political rights. They owned most of the land, and, alone among the other inhabitants of Laconia, dedicated themselves to the exercise of arms and the state government

Helots

The Helots had no rights: they were public slaves or prisoners of war or public servants thus emphasizing their dependence on the Spartan community at large. Helots were considered the property of slave-holding state.  Helots had to give their masters a fixed portion of the crop.

Perioeci

The perioeci were residents of communities in the territories surrounding the city, such as parts of the coastal territory, living, though under the political domination of Sparta, devoted to commercial work and craft activities that the Spartans could not practice. They had to provide military contingents for the army, pay regular dues and accept interference in their jurisdiction.

Type of civilization which is now called the "Spartan" is not characteristic of early Sparta. Up to 600 BC Spartan culture as a whole coincided with the Athens and other Greek states. Fragments of sculpture, fine pottery, figurines of ivory, bronze, lead and terracotta found in this area, indicate a high level of Spartan culture in the same way as the poets and poetry of the Spartan. However, shortly after 600 BC there was a sudden change. Art and poetry disappear. Sparta was suddenly transformed into a military camp, and since then militarized state produced only soldiers.

The Spartan Military

Sparta was centered on a warrior culture. The new born children were examined by the elders, and, if they were weak or deformed, they were collected by perioikoi or the Helots, or left to die. Male Spartan citizens were allowed only one occupation: solider. It was compulsory for al the male Spartans to take part in the education system which was state sponsored. This system was known as Agoge which used to emphasized endurance, ...