Sparta
Blixs
Active member
Spartans from birth they are trained to be soldiers.
The first step to the process is at a young age, boys are thrown off of cliffs,and those who survive the fall would be trained to become soldiers.
The second step is they go to a military academy and learn the art of war.The instructors and conditions in the academies are harsh,the kids are only given one meal a day as to teach them how to forage for food which involves hunting,gathering,and stealing,those who are caught stealing by the instructors were severely punished, and those who didn't forage through theft were considered weak.
And that's about all I know of how the Spartans were trained from childhood to be war machines.
The first step to the process is at a young age, boys are thrown off of cliffs,and those who survive the fall would be trained to become soldiers.
The second step is they go to a military academy and learn the art of war.The instructors and conditions in the academies are harsh,the kids are only given one meal a day as to teach them how to forage for food which involves hunting,gathering,and stealing,those who are caught stealing by the instructors were severely punished, and those who didn't forage through theft were considered weak.
And that's about all I know of how the Spartans were trained from childhood to be war machines.
Bory
Active member
There isn't allot of knowledge about Sparta around, due to the fact all their recorded history we have recovered is from other city states. There were no Spartan historians, writers or philosphers.
However, we do know, as stated above that they were a fierce military state. They practically dominated Ancient Greece, until 371BC, after they were defeated by Thebes at the Battle of Leuctra.
After that they existed, but they were not the powerful players they used to be.
However, we do know, as stated above that they were a fierce military state. They practically dominated Ancient Greece, until 371BC, after they were defeated by Thebes at the Battle of Leuctra.
After that they existed, but they were not the powerful players they used to be.
OORAH
Active member
if you research the battle of Thermopolee (the spelling is incorrect though), or watch the nonfiction movie, The three hundred Spartans, it tells of the story of a small detachment of 300 Spartans holding off something like a million Persians. It seems kinda far fetched, but its in my history book from school as well, so it seems true.
but really, a million men,
damn, thats a lot.
:rambo:
but really, a million men,
damn, thats a lot.
:rambo:
Bory
Active member
This site hasn't got a complete history, but it's good allot of good stuff
http://www.sikyon.com/contents_eg4.html
http://www.sikyon.com/contents_eg4.html
Whispering Death
Active member
Sparta is one of my all-time favorite civilizations ever.
superworms1000
Banned
Whispering Death said:
i would not say it is a civlization....it is a part of civlization maybe....
Sparta sounds like a nazist war machine to me....like i ve heard they throw weak babies into valleys and kill disabled people....
damn..that is brutal..
Bory
Active member
They were incredibly brutal. They were a fierce military state, and if you couldn't serve in the military, you couldn't live in that state.
And yes Sparta was not a civilisation, but just a City in the Lakonian Plains. Lakonia had it's own culture, but they weren't a completely different civilisation to the rest of Greece.
And yes Sparta was not a civilisation, but just a City in the Lakonian Plains. Lakonia had it's own culture, but they weren't a completely different civilisation to the rest of Greece.
superworms1000
Banned
but i have to admit women in Sparta enjoyed much greater freedom than in other city states during the same period of time,
they are encouraged to join men in sports and have greater social status... (probably because Sparta believed healthy and happy mother produce better and stronger babies)
they are encouraged to join men in sports and have greater social status... (probably because Sparta believed healthy and happy mother produce better and stronger babies)
PershingOfLSU
Active member
First, a few misconceptions. There were Spartan writers, generally most of their poetry is what you'd expect from a Polis devoted to war.
Spartan society consisted of three groups, Spartans, Helots, and Perioikoi. The Spartans numbered about 25,000 and were what you traditionally think of as Spartan. The 125,000 Perioikoi, or the neighbors, were literally the neighbors of Sparta. They could not vote in the Spartan city-state but had their own cities in the Spartan realm. Whenever Sparta went to war the Perioikoi accompanied them. Lastly there were 300,000 Helots. The helots were a VERY opressed slave class that was constantly on the verge of revolt. For this reason Sparta was literally a state always on the verge of a civil war.
As for growing up Spartan. Well they didn't throw babies off a cliff and choose the tough ones. That's how you end up with soldiers who have disfiguring back injuries. The babies would however, be thoroughly examined for any blemishes or imperfections. If they were found than the cliff is fair game. Spartan military training began at age 7, and as previously said they had to steal food to survive. After 11 years of training, or at the traditional age of 18, they joined the active army and lived in the local barracks until age 30. Once they turned 30 the state gave them land, a house, and helots to work the land. Even then they were expected to eat one meal a day at the barracks.
Because of the pressures of keeping the Helots down Spartan society needed to be isolationist. If too many Spartan males left or were killed than the Helots would rise up. As happened when Sparta decided to make a grab for an empire. In order to further their isolationism the Spartans formed the Pelloponesian league with their neighbors to act as a buffer. However, city-states would come to Sparta and ask for help if their neighbors were being to aggressive. The Ambassador would plead their case and if he did his job the Spartans would send a messager to the aggressor telling them to back down. This almost always worked, if it didn't the Spartans would attack the following summer and reduce the city to the ground. Except for when the Phalanx was invented they pretty much never lost. One reason for this isolationism is that the Spartan coastline is completely unsuited for trade. And infact to make sure they didn't trade the Spartans used Iron currency since no one else would want it. While the rest of Greece switched to trade, the Spartans remained farmers.
As for whether or not Sparta is a democracy, well it depends on who you ask. If you asked a Greek he would have told you yes. Infact he would have told you that Sparta is a perfect democracy since every citizen recieves the same wealth. They all vote and they can all hold government positions. What about the helots you ask? Well they aren't citizens, they don't matter. The state was ran by the assembly and by the Ephors who were elected annually and could not succeed themselves. A council of old men (the Genousia, which means old men) would create legislation and the assembly, composed of every male Spartan, would vote on it. The Spartan's two kings had no domestic power and were only war leaders. If they showed any un-Spartan traits than the Ephors had them killed and chose a new king from one of the two old Aristoi families. Except for Kings, every male spartan was politically and economically identical.
Lastly, here's a Spartan tradition that shows thier attitude toward the Helots. Once a year a group of Spartan boys aged 13 to 15 would fight again a group of 18 to 25 year old Helot men using the exact same equipment as the Spartans. The Helots generally outnumbered the Spartans at least two to one. The Spartans always win. Whenever the men went off to war, the boys stayed behind to guard the Helots, secure in the knowledge that they would win.
Spartan society consisted of three groups, Spartans, Helots, and Perioikoi. The Spartans numbered about 25,000 and were what you traditionally think of as Spartan. The 125,000 Perioikoi, or the neighbors, were literally the neighbors of Sparta. They could not vote in the Spartan city-state but had their own cities in the Spartan realm. Whenever Sparta went to war the Perioikoi accompanied them. Lastly there were 300,000 Helots. The helots were a VERY opressed slave class that was constantly on the verge of revolt. For this reason Sparta was literally a state always on the verge of a civil war.
As for growing up Spartan. Well they didn't throw babies off a cliff and choose the tough ones. That's how you end up with soldiers who have disfiguring back injuries. The babies would however, be thoroughly examined for any blemishes or imperfections. If they were found than the cliff is fair game. Spartan military training began at age 7, and as previously said they had to steal food to survive. After 11 years of training, or at the traditional age of 18, they joined the active army and lived in the local barracks until age 30. Once they turned 30 the state gave them land, a house, and helots to work the land. Even then they were expected to eat one meal a day at the barracks.
Because of the pressures of keeping the Helots down Spartan society needed to be isolationist. If too many Spartan males left or were killed than the Helots would rise up. As happened when Sparta decided to make a grab for an empire. In order to further their isolationism the Spartans formed the Pelloponesian league with their neighbors to act as a buffer. However, city-states would come to Sparta and ask for help if their neighbors were being to aggressive. The Ambassador would plead their case and if he did his job the Spartans would send a messager to the aggressor telling them to back down. This almost always worked, if it didn't the Spartans would attack the following summer and reduce the city to the ground. Except for when the Phalanx was invented they pretty much never lost. One reason for this isolationism is that the Spartan coastline is completely unsuited for trade. And infact to make sure they didn't trade the Spartans used Iron currency since no one else would want it. While the rest of Greece switched to trade, the Spartans remained farmers.
As for whether or not Sparta is a democracy, well it depends on who you ask. If you asked a Greek he would have told you yes. Infact he would have told you that Sparta is a perfect democracy since every citizen recieves the same wealth. They all vote and they can all hold government positions. What about the helots you ask? Well they aren't citizens, they don't matter. The state was ran by the assembly and by the Ephors who were elected annually and could not succeed themselves. A council of old men (the Genousia, which means old men) would create legislation and the assembly, composed of every male Spartan, would vote on it. The Spartan's two kings had no domestic power and were only war leaders. If they showed any un-Spartan traits than the Ephors had them killed and chose a new king from one of the two old Aristoi families. Except for Kings, every male spartan was politically and economically identical.
Lastly, here's a Spartan tradition that shows thier attitude toward the Helots. Once a year a group of Spartan boys aged 13 to 15 would fight again a group of 18 to 25 year old Helot men using the exact same equipment as the Spartans. The Helots generally outnumbered the Spartans at least two to one. The Spartans always win. Whenever the men went off to war, the boys stayed behind to guard the Helots, secure in the knowledge that they would win.
LeEnfield
Active member
The very conservative attitudes eventually caused Sparta down fall. They failed to change their tactics after getting beat a number of times and carried on using the same old tactics which their opponents had got used to. Their very harsh training methods meant that many of their young men died before becoming warriors. Even from birth they were completely immersed in ice cold rivers and even when they had become warriors they could be thrown out of the warriors house which meant they had to leave the country. They were not allowed to marry until they were fairly old for period of time but they would still want to live in their warriors house with their friends. The male population of Sparta fell so much towards the end that they could not control the slaves they maintained Sparta and the slaves took over. A classic example the downfall of a society that can't or wont change with the times.
Bory
Active member
Sparta begun a steep decline in power after the Theban Invasion of Lakonia in 370 BC. the Perioikoi rebelled, The Spartans had been defeated at Leuctra the year before, and the Pelopennisan Leauge had crumbled and turned against them.
Sparta's real last stand, was in 331 BC when king Agis led and army against Anitpater, to lead the Greeks to revolt against Macedon. unfortunatly Antipater was a a good strategist, and the Spartans were defeated, with Agis killed.
Sparta's real last stand, was in 331 BC when king Agis led and army against Anitpater, to lead the Greeks to revolt against Macedon. unfortunatly Antipater was a a good strategist, and the Spartans were defeated, with Agis killed.
