National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. It is possible, therefore, that Xenophon is wrong even though he is frequently cited by modern writers claiming there were no homoerotic relationships among the candidates of the agoge. Xenophon, a philosopher and historian who lived from the late 400s to mid-300s B.C., noted that one purpose was to keep them slim, which Lycurgus, the founder of the Spartan system, believed would make them grow taller. The agoge was at its height during the Classical Period (5th-4th centuries BCE) and was praised as the ideal form of education by the philosophers Plato (l. 428/427-348/347 BCE) and Aristotle (l. 384-322 BCE) as well as the writer Xenophon (l. 430 - c. 354 BCE). Sparta had many wars such as the Peloponnesian War and the Trojan War. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. Mark, Joshua J.. "Agoge, the Spartan Education Program." They were subjected to continual physical, competitions (which could involve violence), given meager rations and expected to become skilled at stealing food, among other survival skills. Membership of the League did not necessitate the paying of tribute to Sparta but rather the provision of troops. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In 428 they tried to aid the island state of Lesbos, a tributary of Athens that was planning to revolt. The planning, design, and construction projects for its water plant will lead to a connection to Decaturville's water system, to be used in the case of emergency. Each stood at the head of alliances that, between them, included nearly every Greek city-state. This 1899 illustration depicts the racecourse at Sparta. The elderly men also kept close watch of them, coming more frequently to their places of exercises, and observing their contests of strength and wit, not cursorily, but with the idea that they were all in a sense the fathers and tutors and governors of all the boys. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. Sparta was one of the most dominant of all the Greek city-states, and is most often remembered for their athletic and militaristic values. 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. This regional instability brought about the Peloponnesian League (c. 505 to 365 BCE) which was a grouping of Corinth, Elis, Tegea, and other states (but never Argos), where each member swore to have the same enemies and allies as Sparta. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. From 1460 until the War of Greek Independence (182129), except for a Venetian interlude, the region was under Turkish rule. What was Sparta's focus as a city-states? Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! The helots could keep a percentage of the produce they cultivated, but they were also regularly purged to keep them firmly in their social place and they could also be conscripted into military duties in times of war. Sparta was a city-state located in the southeastern Peloponnese region of ancient Greece. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. The paidonomos was appointed by the citys Ephors (overseers), who were elected officials sworn to uphold the laws of Sparta and were even given authority to challenge a sitting king if he did not do the same. https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/. and 431 to 404 B.C.E.) Plutarch writes: Of reading and writing, they learned only enough to serve their turn; all the rest of their training was calculated to make them obey commands well, endure hardships, and conquer in battle. 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.). The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. 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. READ MORE:8 Reasons It Wasn't Easy Being Spartan. Thebes then annexed parts of Messenia and Sparta became thereafter only a second-rate power. Its real focus was to prepare Spartan males to be compliant members of society, who were ready to sacrifice their all for Sparta. Training in speech continued in the transitional period when one became known as a paidiskoi (bigger boy) around the age of twelve. Helen was said to have been the most beautiful woman in Greece and Spartan women in general enjoyed a reputation not only for good looks but also spirited independence. Initially, the term polis referred to a fortified area or citadel which offered protection during times of war. 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. In order to see their wives during this time, husbands had to sneak away at night. 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. They would not intervene while the punishment was inflicted, but afterwards they would judge whether it was excessive or too lenient. Sparta as it would become known during the Classical Age had its beginnings in the 9th century BC. The ancient Sparta city was one of the most powerful city-states in Ancient Greece. In the phalanx, the army worked as a unit in a close, deep formation, and made coordinated mass maneuvers. In the initiate stage, the focus of the program was on instilling essential skills which would enable one not only to survive but conquer. what was sparta's focus as a city -state Hulda Gleason Lvl 10 2021-09-10 13:39:06 This answer is: Study guides US Presidents 19 cards What science is related to the study of world history. The end came in 405 when the Athenian navy was destroyed at Aegospotami by the Spartan fleet under Lysander, who had received much aid from the Persians. Spartan girls participated in the same physical fitness routines as the boys when young, even training with them at first, and were then educated in reading, writing, and mousike ("music") a term which included singing, dance, playing a musical instrument, and composing poetry. Military activity was essential to Sparta. The program was first instituted by the lawgiver Lycurgus (l. 9th century BCE) and was integral to Sparta 's military strength and political power. The Helots, whose name means captives, were fellow Greeks, originally from Laconia and Messenia, who had been conquered by the Spartans and turned into slaves. Like all Greek societies Sparta was dominated by male citizens and the most powerful of those came from a select group of families. Men who delayed marriage were publicly shamed, while those who fathered multiple sons could be rewarded. The city lies on the right bank of the Evrtas Potams (river). Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. This copper engravingby MatthausMerian illustration depicts the Athenian naval defeat near Corinth over the Corinthian and Spartan fleet around 430 B.C.E. Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. prepares to jump on a fumble by Purdue wide receiver TJ Sheffield during the second quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium for the Purdue game on Sept. 1, 2022. The word means "raising" in the sense of raising livestock from youth toward a specific purpose. Web. The agoge of the Classical Period continued producing its elite warriors up through 371 BCE when Sparta was defeated by Thebes at the Battle of Leuctra and still continued on in some form until 396 CE when Sparta was sacked and fell to the Visigoth king Alaric. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. In the next few years the Athenians took the offensive. In this way, at every fitting time and in every place, the boy who went wrong had someone to admonish and chastise him. The Spartans also suffered reverses at sea. The Perioeci, whose name means dwellers-around, worked as craftsmen and traders, and made weapons for the Spartans. This hilltop not only housed the famous Parthenon, but it also included temples, theaters, and other public buildings that enhanced Athenian culture. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Sparta was located in the fertile Eurotas valley of Laconia in the southeast Peloponnese. Two kings from two different families ruled Sparta. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In part to attract mates, females engaged in athletic competitions, including javelin-throwing and wrestling, and also sang and danced competitively. According to legend, Spartas ruling house c. 9th century BCE was divided by distrust and scheming, and the people lacked strong role models in government. The well-built and sturdy children were allowed to live, while those who were deemed unhealthy or deformed were left at the foot of a mountain to die. Sparta, Modern Greek Spart, historically Lacedaemon, ancient capital of the Laconia district of the southeastern Peloponnese, southwestern Greece. Part of the reason for this was that the boys upbringing had instilled behaviors that encouraged harmony and cooperation.. 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. Sparta- The Great City-State. The Agoge was a trial by ordeal, as Paul Cartledge, a professor emeritus of Greek culture at the University of Cambridge, wrote in his 2003 book Spartan Reflections. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. After a number of years, he was contacted by the Spartans asking him to return home. (69), Kylix with Men Courting YouthsMetropolitan Museum of Art (Copyright). The Battle of Salamis (480) revealed the magnitude of Athenian naval power and set in motion the deadly struggle between the two powers that ended in Athenian defeat at the close of the Peloponnesian War in 404 and the emergence of Sparta as the most powerful state in Greece. A second and lower social group was the helots, semi-enslaved agricultural labourers who lived on Spartan-owned estates. The paidonomos would learn from the Ephors what constituted excess or leniency and was often the overseer of punishments. (16.6), Young Spartans Exercising by DegasNational Gallery (Public Domain). Last modified June 15, 2021. Indoctrination into this lifestyle began early. At the academy, the boys lived communally with others in their age group. Spartan citizens required this support because they focused solely on athletic and military training, and politics. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The first period lasted 10 years and began with the Spartans, under Archidamus II, leading an army into Attica, the region around Athens. License. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. Whipping was a test of courage and stoicism, Reiter says. 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.). Madden said the city was able to stay below New York's property tax cap, and said his . Sparta was also an important member of the Greek force which participated in the Trojan War. The events that led to renewed hostilities began in 433, when Athens allied itself with Corcyra (modern Corfu), a strategically important colony of Corinth. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Sparta and its allies accused Athens of aggression and threatened war. Originally Sparta was not that different from other Greek city states. Books Thucydides survived an attack of the plague and left a vivid account of its impact on Athenian morale. The treaty stated that Athens and Sparta would defend each other for the next 50 years. The agoge was the ancient Spartan education program, which trained male youths in the art of war. The Byzantines repopulated the site and gave it the ancient Homeric name Lacedaemon. For the first five years in the agoge, between the age of 7-12, boys were taught to read and write, but the programs emphasis was on endurance events, athletic competitions, military prowess, and teaching them to survive and outwit others. The Spartan hoplite army, however, showed the rest of Greece the way forward towards a greater military professionalism and considering the iconic image of fearless and disciplined hoplites with red cloaks and lambda-emblazoned shields, for the Greeks, admiring Romans and even 21st century film-goers, this is Sparta. Sparta and Athens are known as city-state with many contrasting beliefs. Metropolis (cathedral) dedicated to St. Demetrios at Mistra. A Spartan woman saying goodbye to her young son who is going off to war.  Epaminondas' Echelon formation in the Battle of Leuctra. This defeat led to Athenian surrender. Therefore, as they grew in age, their bodily exercise was increased; their heads were close-clipped, and they were accustomed to going barefoot, and to playing for the most part without clothes. You cannot download interactives. Member of a group who settled on the Greek mainland around 2000 B.C. We want people all over the world to learn about history. One factor was the agoge, the Greek city-states educational and training system, which used harsh, extreme and sometimes cruel methods to prepare boys to be Spartan citizens and soldiers. Spartans would humiliate the Helots by doing such things as forcing them to get debilitatingly drunk on wine and then make fools of themselves in public. Related Content For full treatment, see Ancient Greek civilization: The Peloponnesian War. The Spartan army was known for its skill in on-land combat. Please support World History Encyclopedia. The area was first settled in the Neolithic period and an important settlement developed in the Bronze Age. Soldiers were trained as hoplites, or heavily armed foot soldiers. You cannot download interactives. After years of open warfare, Sparta offered peace and Athens accepted. It was a period in which diplomatic maneuvers gradually gave way to small-scale military operations as each city tried to win smaller states over to its side. . Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. But the boys hunger was also intended to embolden them to steal food from gardens and other places in order to make the boys more resourceful in getting supplies, and better fighting men, Xenophon wrote. Some messes were of course more exclusive and desirable than others, none more so than the royal mess, in which both kings dined jointly with their chosen aides when in Sparta. All of these freedoms would have been unacceptable in other Greek poleis. Last modified May 28, 2013. Help us and translate this article into another language! According to the ancient Greek historian Plutarch, who wrote several centuries after Spartas heyday in the 400s B.C., Spartans began developing soldiers shortly after birth, when male infants were evaluated by Spartan elders. These were the landed aristocracy, and following reforms credited to Lycurgus in the 6th century BCE (or even earlier), citizens could not indulge in agricultural activities - this was the lot of the helots - but they had to devote themselves to athletic and military training and politics. As a result, the Peloponnesian War was concluded. Spartan political system was a combination of monarchy (kings), oligarchy (Gerousia) and democracy (ephoroi, ephors). Spartan girls were not allowed to join but were educated at home by their mothers or trainers. A substitute teacher, 24, had tried to intervene and . World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Cartledge comments: One particularly striking instance of this displaced or surrogate fathering was the institution of ritualized pederasty. Preserving democracy and the rights of the people.. Lazenby writes in his book The Spartan Army. At the age of maturity one needed to be elected to a certain mess also known as a "common tent" (a, Wikipedia User: Putinovac (Public Domain). Once election to a mess was secured, all the men of that mess ate every meal together. Though Sparta absorbed this population, it did not integrate the conquered people into society. Sparta fought both foreign and neighboring adversaries. Scholar Paul Cartledge describes the agoge as a "system of education, training, and socialization [that] turned boys into fighting men whose reputation for discipline, courage, and skill was unsurpassed" (32). Ideology In The Two City-States Sparta believed that a person's benefit comes from loyalty to the state. Lycurgus was a Spartan prince whose older brother had died, leaving behind a pregnant wife. Trojan War War in which the Mycenaeans attacked the city of Troy Dorian . The Spartans real secret wasnt physical fitness or indifference to pain and suffering, but rather superior organization. 29, 2023. They thought of themselves as Greeks. You may have read on the web that Sparta had two kings. Spartan society was separated into social classes, and conquered people were not given political rights or citizenship. Even after gaining reinforcements in 413, the Athenian army was defeated again. Robinson, clocked at 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine, provides power and speed to a Falcons offense which has emphasized the running game under Smith. This war shifted power from Athens to Sparta, making Sparta the most powerful city-state in the region. All Rights Reserved. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Whether Lycurgus was history of myth, the program he is credited with establishing became the foundation of Spartan society & military might. This ensured that when one king ventured out on a military campaign the other could continue to rule the city. Especially, Sparta was a city-state that valued military education and their type of battling style. Leonidas was a Spartan king whose stand against the invading Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece is one of the enduring tales of Greek heroism, invoked throughout Western history as the epitome of bravery exhibited against overwhelming odds. According to Plutarch, as the young Spartans grew, they were required to exercise more and more to build their bodies. Omissions? After the transitional stage, students were known as hebontes (young men) and were under the tutelage of a paidonomos (boy-herder). Peloponnesian War, (431-404 bce), war fought between the two leading city-states in ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta. But it was a vital step toward being selected for one of the messes, the communal dining groups, and becoming a full-fledged Spartan citizen and soldier. In the former battle, the Spartan soldiers arrived too late to assist the other Greek cities and in the latter mobilised only a token force as they felt compelled to first celebrate the Karneia festival in honour of Apollo. Submitted by Joshua J. Holders of slaves, exacters of infanticide, practitioners of pederasty. This tough training resulted in a professional hoplite army capable of relatively sophisticated battle manoeuvres and made them feared throughout Greece, a fact perhaps evidenced by Sparta's notable lack of fortifications for most of its history. Peloponnesian War, (431404 bce), war fought between the two leading city-states in ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta. The program was first instituted by the lawgiver Lycurgus (l. 9th century BCE) and was integral to Spartas military strength and political power. Along with the surrounding area, it forms the perifereiak entita (regional unit) of Laconia (Modern Greek: Lakona) within the Peloponnese (Pelopnnisos) perifreia (region). The only excuses for non-attendance were participation in a religious ritual or a hunting expedition. 1. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. (2001) city, 17,503; (2011) 16,239. Spartan men devoted their lives to military service, and lived communally well into adulthood. The Athenian alliance was, in fact, an empire that included most of the island and coastal states around the northern and eastern shores of the Aegean Sea. The present-day city was built in 1834 on the ancient site. Did you know? Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Patrick J. Kiger has written for GQ, the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, PBS NewsHour and Military History Quarterly. Athens believed that power should be used for the individual's benefit. However, the treaty only lasted six. When Spartan children were born, the male elders of the family decided if the infant was fit to live and be raised. Sparta was leader of an alliance of independent states that included most of the major land powers of the Peloponnese and central Greece, as well as the sea power Corinth. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They were like the Hikkos and the Assyrians and Unlike the Phoenicians or the Mionaons. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. All Rights Reserved. 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/topics/ancient-greece/sparta. Spartan girls also engaged in a number of sports including boxing, wrestling, discus and javelin toss, horseback riding, and foot races. Being a militaristic state, Sparta's primary focus was on its land-based army, composed of armoured hoplites. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/342/agoge-the-spartan-education-program/. The main meal was held after dark and no torches were allowed for lighting the way to or from the mess hall in order to encourage the mens skill in navigating terrain in the dark and, so, the enable them to gather and eat when in the field without alerting an opposing force to their location. Helots could not own property and so could not rise to become full-citizens, and this lack of social mobility would come back to haunt Sparta in later centuries. Spartan Silver TetradrachmMark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). Gabrielle Heim pitched a complete game and recorded 14 strikeouts for Sparta and allowed eight hits, four earned runs, and one walk as it defeated Lenape Valley 11-4 in Stanhope. But Spartan schoolings emphasis on fitness did help Spartan soldiers on the battlefield. The City of Scott's Hill will leverage ARP and SRF funds to improve water plant capacity and develop an Asset Management Plan. Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Unlike other Greek city-states, Sparta was exceptional in its socio-political stability, Hodkinson says. Mark is a full-time author, researcher, historian, and editor. Pre- and post-battle sacrifices were a common feature of Greek warfare in general but the Spartan army took things one step further and sacrificed before crossing rivers, for example, and even withheld from mobilising the army if an important religious festival was ongoing. The assembly (Ekklsia) met once a month and was open to all citizens who voted by the simple method of shouting. However, the democratic leaders refused Spartan peace offerings, and the war continued at sea with the Spartan and Athenian fleets trading costly victories. Also known as: Lacedaemon, Na Spart, Spart. The Spartans spoke Greek. The boys lived communally under austere conditions. Spartan boys started their military training at age 7, when they left home and entered the Agoge. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. The Spartans settled the area of the Peloponnese in the valley of Laconia at some point in the 10th century BCE, and later displacing an indigenous people the perioikoi and the helots who were then subjugated. And they steal what they fetch, some of them entering the gardens, and others creeping right slyly and cautiously into the public messes of the men; but if a boy is caught stealing, he is soundly flogged as a careless and unskillful thief. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. The result of the conflict was the 'King's Peace' where Sparta ceded her empire (for which she in any case lacked the necessary bureaucratic apparatus to manage properly) to Persian control but Sparta was left to dominate Greece. But led by Brasidas, hero of the Battle of Delium, a Spartan force gained important successes in Chalcidice in 424, encouraging Athenian subject states to revolt. The goal of the agoge was the transformation of boys into Spartan soldiers whose loyalty was to the state and their brothers-in-arms, not their families.
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