Ancient History: Sparta 98% Assesment Mark
ANCIENT HISTORY ASSESMENT: SPARTA
By Jorge T
What are the main features of Spartan government in the period to 500BC?:
HOW SPARTAN CONSTITUTION/GOVERNMENT CAME TO BE:
Throughout the Greek world at this time, a great period of expansion and colonization took place, chiefly due to land hunger. Sparta attacked neighboring Messenia and engaged in a series of wars, reducing the population to serfdom. The success in these wars enabled Sparta to double the agricultural resources. At some point after the Messenia wars, the Spartans undertook a drastic and revolutionary reorganization of their social and political systems. The whole state became geared to a militaristic way of life; a new system of law and order, or eunomia was established. Plutarch tells us that the new state that emerged at this point was due to the lawgiver Lycurgus who had sought the help of the Delphic oracle. He was instructed to “establish a sanctuary to Zeus and Athena; divide the people into tribes and obai; appoint the two kings and a Gerousia of 28 men. Although there are some issues on the reliability of sources on Lycurgus, conflicting accounts had been given to most aspects of the life of Lycurgus particularly those relating to his initiatives as a lawmaker.
The changes or reforms allegedly introduced Lycurgus were in the form of a great Rhetra and most probably date from the 7th century BC. Rhetra is the oral tradition of the Spartans and their laws, often based in oracles. Plutarch believed that the Great Rhetra was an statement from the Delphic oracle brought back by the lawgiver, Lycurgus, and presented to the Spartans.
The great Rhetra is significant because it was the foundation of the Spartan constitution. It appears to limit the powers of the two kings and wit was particularly concerned with the establishment of the Gerousia.
DUAL KINGSHIP
Sparta’s government was primarily an oligarchy, but it included democratic elements. Sparta had two kings, who came from two
By Jorge T
What are the main features of Spartan government in the period to 500BC?:
HOW SPARTAN CONSTITUTION/GOVERNMENT CAME TO BE:
Throughout the Greek world at this time, a great period of expansion and colonization took place, chiefly due to land hunger. Sparta attacked neighboring Messenia and engaged in a series of wars, reducing the population to serfdom. The success in these wars enabled Sparta to double the agricultural resources. At some point after the Messenia wars, the Spartans undertook a drastic and revolutionary reorganization of their social and political systems. The whole state became geared to a militaristic way of life; a new system of law and order, or eunomia was established. Plutarch tells us that the new state that emerged at this point was due to the lawgiver Lycurgus who had sought the help of the Delphic oracle. He was instructed to “establish a sanctuary to Zeus and Athena; divide the people into tribes and obai; appoint the two kings and a Gerousia of 28 men. Although there are some issues on the reliability of sources on Lycurgus, conflicting accounts had been given to most aspects of the life of Lycurgus particularly those relating to his initiatives as a lawmaker.
The changes or reforms allegedly introduced Lycurgus were in the form of a great Rhetra and most probably date from the 7th century BC. Rhetra is the oral tradition of the Spartans and their laws, often based in oracles. Plutarch believed that the Great Rhetra was an statement from the Delphic oracle brought back by the lawgiver, Lycurgus, and presented to the Spartans.
The great Rhetra is significant because it was the foundation of the Spartan constitution. It appears to limit the powers of the two kings and wit was particularly concerned with the establishment of the Gerousia.
DUAL KINGSHIP
Sparta’s government was primarily an oligarchy, but it included democratic elements. Sparta had two kings, who came from two