SP2d: Social

Structure-
Spartiates

Spartan Society
Characteristics of a spartiate
Privilege class holding ALL
political power

Original Dorian conquerors All equal under the law and

of Laconia, they never all subject to the same
numbered more than training and discipline
10,000

There were rich and poor

Forbidden to engage in Spartiates, but there is
farming, trade and industry. some controversy over the
existence of nobility

The state supported them Lived by a high code of

by giving them an allotment honour that involved
of land (kleros) and helots courage, loyalty, endurance
and obedience

Full time soldiers owing

total obedience to the
state
Concept of homoioi
 The term Homoioi is often translated to “equals”.
 However, Historian Brian Brennan argues that this is a
wrong translation and incorrectly implies that all
Spartans were equal in status and wealth.


 A preferred translation by Brennan is “similars” or

“peers”. This implies that the citizens had much in
common and were alike or similar, but not equal.


 FOR DISCUSSION:
 With the work studied so far on the Spartans, would
you feel more inclined to agree or disagree with
Brennan’s translation? Explain your view.
Qualifying for the homoioi
 In order for a person living in Laconia to
qualify for inclusion in the class of Spartan
homoioi, three conditions had to be met:-
1.Prove to the elders of his tribe that he was
descended from the original Dorian tribes.
2.
3.Submit to the agoge. After successful
completion of the rigid training regime.
Conditional on the basis of ...
4.
5.Being admitted to one of the common messes or
syssitia.
6.
Expectations of a
Spartiate
How equal is “equal”?
 Plutarch wrote in his Life of Lycurgus that each newborn boy
and future citizen was given by the state an equal plot of
land (kleros).

 The assumption has been made that this claim by Plutarch is
nothing more than a myth to perpetuate the idea of
equality amongst the Spartiates.

 Herodotus refers in his Histories to “wealthy’ and
aristocratic Spartans. This alludes to the fact that the
Spartiates were in fact not equal in terms of wealth.

 Xenophon also talks of the rich Spartans who were able to
make increased contributions to their military mess.

 We know of some who were so poor that they couldn’t make
their quota, and as such lost their citizenship.
Questions on the sources
 According to Xenophon, explain why the
syssition was instituted.

 Outlinehow a Spartan became a member of
the mess group.

 From the sources, outline the information that
can be gained about the lifestyle of the
Spartans.
 Analysing the sources
 Source 1

Lycurgus then noted that the Spartans just
like the rest of the Greeks were living at
home, and, realising that this was
responsible for their taking most things too
easily, brought the common messes out into
the open, considering that this would
reduce disobedience of orders to a
minimum. He assigned them a ration of
corn, so that they would neither be gorged
nor hungry. But they get many additional
foods supplied from hunting expeditions;
and there are times when the rich also
contribute wheaten bread instead; so the
table is never bare until they separate and
go into their quarters, but neither is it
extravagantly supplied. He also puts an end
to the compulsory drinking of wine, which
undoes both body and mind, and allowed
each man to drink when he was thirsty,
thinking this would be the least harmful
and most pleasurable way of drinking.

Xenophon, cited in Dillon & Garland, Ancient Greece, pp164 - 5

 Source 2

The oldest member indicated the doors to
each person entering and said:”Not a word
goes out through these”. By all accounts
anyone desiring to join a mess was vetted
in the following way. Each member would
take a piece of soft bread in his hand and
in silence throw it, like a ballot, into a
bowl which a servant carried on his head.
Those in favour threw the bread as it was,
while those against squeezed it hard with
their hand. And should they find even one
of these, they do not admit the would-be
entrant because it is their wish that all
should be happy in each other’s company.

Plutarch on Sparta, p21
