Women In Sparta

According to many historians such as Powell “The citizen women of Sparta were believed to lead unusual lives by Greek standards.” As stated by Lycurgus in the Great Rhetra women of Sparta were aware of their role in society in regards to staying healthy and fit to produce healthy offspring as well as partaking in the running of the economy. Women in Sparta were treated with the utmost respect, as they were an essential element in the ancient warrior society. Spartan women enjoyed much more freedom then women from the other polis (Greek city states). Spartan women were given great privileges as they involved their prominent positions in society in regards to education, family, religion and the economy, which soon became desired by women all
They weren’t allowed to spin or weave like women from other parts of Greece; such menial tasks were meant for the helots – state owned slaves. Source 2 (Plutarch on Sparta, p.160) “When an Ionian woman was priding herself on one of the tapestries she had made (which was indeed of great value), a Spartan woman showed off her four most dutiful sons and said they were the kind of thing a noble and good woman ought to produce, and should boast of them and take pride in them.” This quote illustrates that for Spartan women, skills in handicrafts were not essential, and were not regarded as important as bearing healthier, stronger sons for the army. Xenophon stated, “For free women the most important job was to bear children.” In order to inculcate the offspring with patriotism, the mother had to have the correct attitude herself. Spartan mother did rear their sons according to the customs and expectations of their state and society. They were proud of their role in shaping new generations of citizens as cited in Source 2, women who produce strong offspring’s (sons) should feel superior to other women and should be proud of their self righteousness. It implies that women with strong sons were strong themselves because it is believed that strong Spartan women and men create a strong offspring. ‘Great value’ also
As Spartan boys were surrendered to the agoge (Spartiate training program) Spartan girls remained at home with their mothers to get educated, learn reading and writing, as well as being organised into bands for team games and choral singing. In these bands they were taught, and had to regularly perform, choral lyrics of myths that had been immortalised through ancient songs and poems. Many of these poems would have come from the Partheniai (a collection of work composed by Spartan poet Alcman). Girls also learned the bibasis (a form of dancing/exercise where the girls do rump jumps). Whilst in these bands the Spartan women also trained in gymnastics and athletics, such as running, wrestling and javelin throwing. Spartan women of all ages were encouraged to mix and train with the Spartan men and enter sporting competitions to get fit and strong. Plato commented on the Spartan women’s education: “there are not only men but women also who pride themselves on their education; you can tell that what I say is true and that the Spartans have the best education in philosophy.” The reasoning behind this idea of physical training is that while Spartan women trained with Spartan men, the men would choose the strongest woman and marry