what was sparta's focus as a city state

Learning from its past experiences with the Athenian navy, they established a fleet of warships. Each stood at the head of alliances that, between them, included nearly every Greek city-state. Sparta was a warrior society in ancient Greece that reached the height of its power after defeating rival city-state Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.). Cartledge comments: One particularly striking instance of this displaced or surrogate fathering was the institution of ritualized pederasty. Though Sparta absorbed this population, it did not integrate the conquered people into society. In 425 the picture was bleak for Sparta, which began to sue for peace. Sparta is one of the most famous states in the Classical era. Sparta was a city-state located in the southeastern Peloponnese region of ancient Greece. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Athenians had built walls stretching from their seaport to the city of Athens. Sparta was not as known for philosophers and artists as other Greek city-states, though it did have a strong tradition of poetry. No one soldier was considered superior to another. Spartas continued agitation spurred Romes war on the Achaeans (146) and the Roman conquest of the Peloponnese. The expansion was the focus for Athens as well but via a more complicated process that included both military power and trade alliances. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Sparta fought both foreign and neighboring adversaries. Though Sparta absorbed this population, it did not integrate the conquered people into society. Lycurgus was next in line for the throne but abdicated in favor of his brothers infant son and, to avoid any suspicion that he might harm the child to win back power, left Sparta. The first period lasted 10 years and began with the Spartans, under Archidamus II, leading an army into Attica, the region around Athens. Spartan warriors were also known for their long hair and red cloaks. localized power A key characteristic of ancient Greek city-state was a political (government) system based on independent city-states where everyone could be left alone to do their own thing. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/. This article was most recently revised and updated by, World History Encyclopedia - Sparta, Greece, Sparta - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Sparta - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Related Content It is an ancient greek city home to the Spartans. The walls helped protect Athens from direct assault, and its leader, Pericles, urged Athens not to engage in direct land battles with the Spartans. Updated: July 21, 2022 | Original: November 12, 2009. Sparta was unique in ancient Greece for its social system and constitution, which were supposedly introduced by the semi-mythical legislator Lycurgus. The professional and well-trained Spartan hoplites with their distinctive red cloaks and long hair were probably the best and most feared fighters in Greece, fighting with distinction at key battles against the Persian army at Thermopylae and Plataea in the 5th century BCE. Sparta grew to rival the size of the city-states Athens and Thebes by subjugating its neighboring region of Messenia. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. It was probably their training in tactical maneuvers which really gave Spartan soldiers their edge on the battlefield, J.F. For all the Spartans efficiency, they relied heavily on a limited set of maneuvers, and when those failed, they didnt have a plan B. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Sparta was a powerful city-state in ancient Greece. The Spartan political system was unusual in that it had two hereditary kings from two separate families. Madden said the city was able to stay below New York's property tax cap, and said his . Athens believed that power should be used for the individual's benefit. The following essay will focus on the main features of Spartan religion. Its real focus was to prepare Spartan males to be compliant members of society, who were ready to sacrifice their all for Sparta. 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. Sparta was a strict military society while Athens was a free democracy. This was meant to prepare them for life in the army. They had an excellently trained military with diligent soldiers. Famous episodes where the Spartans put religion above warfare and even national crisis were at Marathon and Thermopylae during the Greco-Persian Wars. Spartan boys started their military training at age 7, when they left home and entered the Agoge. Once election to a mess was secured, all the men of that mess ate every meal together. On April 26 the three students, all girls, ages 14, 15 and 16-years-old began assaulting a 15-year-old student, Atlantic City police said. You may have read on the web that Sparta had two kings. To push the claim, social media users are misrepresenting the limited use of RNA-based vaccines in animals, as well as a farming company's research into using plants to grow proteins used in vaccines. 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. The relationship was probably sexual, but sex was by no means the only or even always the major object. 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. Help us and translate this definition into another language! and 431 to 404 B.C.E.) 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. Sparta thus came to control some 8,500 km of territory making the polis or city-state the largest in Greece and a major player in Greek politics. The Peloponnesian War, one of the most significant events in ancient Greek history, enveloped the city-states of the ancient Greek world, forever changing the region. All Rights Reserved. Stealing was considered an important survival skill and so it was not the act of theft that was punished, it was the carelessness exhibited in getting caught. As in other Greek city-states, homoerotic relationships between older candidates and younger were considered a natural aspect of growth and maturity but, in Sparta, seem to have been encouraged to create a tighter bond between the men who would eventually serve in the armed forces. Did you know? Also known as: Lacedaemon, Na Spart, Spart. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Submitted by Joshua J. Follow ancient Greek civilization from Philip II of Macedonia's unification to the Roman Empire's conquest, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/event/Peloponnesian-War, World History Encyclopedia - Peloponnesian War, Chemistry LibreTexts - The Peloponnesian War, Ancient Origins - The Peloponnesian War: Intrigues and Conquests in Ancient Greece, Peloponnesian War - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Peloponnesian War - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Ancient Greek civilization: The Peloponnesian War. "Sparta." We care about our planet! The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. After the transitional stage, students were known as hebontes (young men) and were under the tutelage of a paidonomos (boy-herder). Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. The boys had to literally make their own beds as in construct them from rough reeds that grew by the river they had to break by hand without using a knife. Participation by Spartan males in the agoge (pronounced ah-go-GAY in ancient Greek and ah-GOJ-uh in modern English) was mandatory. Sparta was traditionally the great land power of the Greek world and controlled many neighboring territories whose populations were tied to the land as slaves. (18.1). Plutarch writes: Under [the direction of the paidonomos] the boys, in their several companies, put themselves under the command of the most prudent and warlike of the so-called Eirens. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), https://www.history.com/news/sparta-warriors-training, How Ancient Spartas Harsh Military System Trained Boys Into Fierce Warriors. During this period, the child soldiers were also taught to steal, especially to steal food, as they were fed little. READ MORE:8 Reasons It Wasn't Easy Being Spartan. However, trying to crush Thebes, Sparta lost the crucial battle of Leuctra in 371 BCE against the brilliant Theban general Epaminondas. At the academy, the boys lived communally with others in their age group. Unlike other Greek city-states, Sparta was exceptional in its socio-political stability, Hodkinson says. Men who delayed marriage were publicly shamed, while those who fathered multiple sons could be rewarded. From the Sphinx of Egypt to the Kama Sutra, explore ancient history videos. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. (2021, June 15). Athens' power was based upon its. Whether they were in Sparta or deployed elsewhere, every man of that mess was required to bring food to be shared in common and so, obviously, had to be present. After briefly challenging Macedonian control in the 3rd century BCE and being besieged by Pyrrhus in 272 BCE, Sparta never regained her former glory and she was compelled to join the Achaean Confederacy in 195 BCE. 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.). When Spartan children were born, the male elders of the family decided if the infant was fit to live and be raised. Simultaneous to the end of this conflict came the end of the golden age of ancient Greece. Unlike other Greek city-states, Sparta "was exceptional. The fighting engulfed virtually the entire Greek world, and it was properly regarded by Thucydides, whose contemporary account of it is considered to be among the world's finest . Spartan men devoted their lives to military service, and lived communally well into adulthood. What is Sparta best described as? Within a few months, however, Pericles fell victim to a terrible plague that raged through the crowded city, killing a large part of its army as well as many civilians. Even today, the word Spartan conjures up an image of an awesomely fit, skillful fighter, indifferent to pain and fear. This body consisted of 28 over-60 years of age males who held the position for life. 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