text 2: discipline and lesson 2: the greek city-states ... · warfare in sparta topic 5: ancient...
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Text 2: Discipline and
Warfare in Sparta
Topic 5: Ancient GreeceLesson 2: The Greek City-States
The Spartans
Were Dorian invaders from the north who conquered Laconia, in the southern part of Greece
Built the city-state of Sparta
Control of Sparta
They turned the conquered people into state-owned slaves, helots, and made them work the land
Helots greatly outnumbered the Spartans so they set up a brutal system of strict control
Government of Sparta
Two kings and a council of elders who advised the monarchs
An assembly made up of all citizens approved major decisions
Citizens were male, native-born Spartans over the age of 30
The assembly also elected five ephors, or officials, who ran day-to-day affairs
Sparta Way of Life
From childhood, a Spartan prepared to be part of a military state
Officials examined every newborn, and sickly children were abandoned to die
Spartans wanted future soldiers and the future mothers of soldiers to be healthy
Preparation for Military Life
At the age of seven, boys began training for a lifetime in the military
They moved into barracks, where they were toughened by a coarse diet, hard exercise, and rigid discipline
This strict and harsh discipline made Spartan youths excellent soldiers
Military Life
At the age of 20, a man could marry, but he continued to live in the barracks until he was 30 and took his meals in the barracks until he was 40 years old
At the age of 30, after further training, he took his place in the assembly
Spartan Women
Girls, too, had a rigorous upbringing
As part of a warrior society, they were expected to produce healthy sons for the army
They were required to exercise and strengthen their bodies
Spartan Women
Like other Greek women, Spartan women had to obey their fathers or husbands
Under Spartan law, they had the right to inherit property
Because men were occupied with war, some women took on responsibilities such as running the family’s estate
Citizens of Sparta
To be a citizen of Sparta, a person had to be descended from the Dorians who invaded the land
Spartan citizens owned land, but did not farm it since that was the job of the helots
Foreigners in Sparta were unwelcome guests and could be expelled
Noncitizens of Sparta
Noncitizens outnumbered citizens
They had few rights
Were strictly controlled by the government
Disadvantages of Sparta
The Spartans isolated themselves from other Greeks
They looked down on trade and wealth, forbade their own citizens to travel
Had little use for new ideas or the arts
Advantage of Sparta
While other Greeks admired the Spartans’ military skills, no other city-state imitated their rigorous way of life
“Spartans are willing to die for their city,” some suggested, “because they have no reason to live.”
Overall
In the long run, Sparta suffered from its rigid ways and inability to change
Over time, its warrior class shrank, and its power declined