Marriage was important to Spartans, as the state put pressure on people to have male children who would grow up to become citizen-warriors, and replace those who died in battle. Additionally, they were typically unencumbered by domestic responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning and making clothing, tasks which were handled by the helots. As adults, Spartan women were allowed to own and manage property. In part to attract mates, females engaged in athletic competitions, including javelin-throwing and wrestling, and also sang and danced competitively. While they played no role in the military, female Spartans often received a formal education, although separate from boys and not at boarding schools. Spartan women had a reputation for being independent-minded, and enjoyed more freedoms and power than their counterparts throughout ancient Greece. Spartan warriors were also known for their long hair and red cloaks. Going into battle, a Spartan soldier, or hoplite, wore a large bronze helmet, breastplate and ankle guards, and carried a round shield made of bronze and wood, a long spear and sword. No one soldier was considered superior to another. In the phalanx, the army worked as a unit in a close, deep formation, and made coordinated mass maneuvers. The Spartans’ constant military drilling and discipline made them skilled at the ancient Greek style of fighting in a phalanx formation. At age 20, Spartan males became full-time soldiers, and remained on active duty until age 60. The teenage boys who demonstrated the most leadership potential were selected for participation in the Crypteia, which acted as a secret police force whose primary goal was to terrorize the general Helot population and murder those who were troublemakers. READ MORE: How Ancient Sparta's Harsh Military System Trained Boys Into Fierce Warriors The Perioeci, whose name means “dwellers-around,” worked as craftsmen and traders, and built weapons for the Spartans.Ħ Scandals That Rocked the Winter Olympics
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The population of Sparta consisted of three main groups: the Spartans, or Spartiates, who were full citizens the Helots, or serfs/slaves and the Perioeci, who were neither slaves nor citizens. Sparta, also known as Lacedaemon, was an ancient Greek city-state located primarily in the present-day region of southern Greece called Laconia. WATCH: Spartan Vengeance on HISTORY Vault Spartan Society Despite their military prowess, the Spartans’ dominance was short-lived: In 371 B.C., they were defeated by Thebes at the Battle of Leuctra, and their empire went into a long period of decline.
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Because Spartan men were professional soldiers, all manual labor was done by a slave class, the Helots. Although Spartan women were not active in the military, they were educated and enjoyed more status and freedom than other Greek women. Known as the Agoge, the system emphasized duty, discipline and endurance.
At age 7, Spartan boys entered a rigorous state-sponsored education, military training and socialization program. Spartan culture was centered on loyalty to the state and military service. 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.).