In the 13th century BC, the Dorian invasion of Greece began. The Dorians were backward tribes that were at the stage of decomposition of tribal relations, but they knew how to smelt iron, which gave them an advantage in wars with the Achaeans - the indigenous population, who had a higher level of civilization development. Having settled in Laconia, the territory of the Peloponnese peninsula, the Dorians founded Sparta - a city-state, at first no different from other Greek policies.
From an ordinary policy to a barracks state
Approximately until the VI century BC. e. the Spartans lived like other Greeks: they were engaged in crafts, agriculture, trade, periodically fighting with neighboring policies.
However, soon in their state there is a rapid decline in the level of material culture, and many crafts simply disappeared. craving forbeautiful things began to be seen as indecent for a real Spartan and even anti-social. A turning point has come in the history of the policy, when it, in fact, turned into a barracks state.
He was distinguished, on the one hand, by the desire to push other Greek policies around, and on the other, by the policy of extreme self-isolation. Sparta unceremoniously interfered in the affairs of other city-states, wanting to establish its hegemony. Military power and internal stability were combined in it with cultural and economic backwardness. Such changes were associated with the reforms of Lycurgus, who is considered the founder of the Spartan state.
Legendary Legislator
Historians know about the life of Lycurgus only from the writings of ancient Greek authors. This evidence is sometimes so contradictory that some researchers even question the very existence of the Spartan legislator. The debate is not only about the reforms of Lycurgus, summarized below, but also about the timing of their implementation.
It is generally accepted that the legendary legislator came from a royal family. He carried out a series of reforms that changed the Spartan state. It is known that Lycurgus received a favorable prediction from the Delphic oracle regarding his lawmaking.
And although at first not everyone in Sparta agreed with the reformer, but in the end the changes were accepted by the majority of citizens.
By that time, the Spartans had already conquered Messenia - a huge area west of Laconia, enslaving the local population. Therefore, Spartan society inevitably had to acquire all the features of a military camp, ready at any moment to suppress the uprising of slaves. This is what the reforms of Lycurgus in Sparta were aimed at.
Social structure in brief
According to the laws that Lycurgus introduced, Spartan society was divided into three social groups:
- Spartiates are the descendants of the Dorians conquerors, full citizens of the state.
- Perieks are the descendants of the Achaeans, the indigenous population of Laconia, who retained personal freedom, but did not take part in government. They lived outside the policy and provided the Spartans with the necessary handicrafts.
- Helots are state slaves, descendants of the conquered Achaeans.
Spartiates ruled and fought, perieks paid taxes and were engaged in handicrafts, helots - in agriculture. In the 5th century BC, approximately:
- 9 thousand Spartans;
- 40 thousand perieks;
- 140 thousand helots.
Such a disproportion predetermined the cruel attitude towards slaves that existed in the society of Ancient Sparta. Representatives of the ruling social class constantly feared a large-scale uprising of the helots. Therefore, once a year games were held, during which the young men from the Spartan camps declared war on the slaves, after which the extermination of the latter began. So, according to their mentors, two goals were achieved:
- helot numbers were under control;
- future soldiers were instilled with a “taste” for war.
Unique Ancient Greekpolicy
Sparta was a completely unusual state, more like a military camp. There were legends about the endurance of the Spartans that have survived to this day.
Already from the age of 12, young people took part in the campaigns. It is noteworthy that according to the laws of Lycurgus, there were uniform rules for all citizens, whether it was a simple Spartan or a king. By the way, the military training of the latter was no different from the training of ordinary citizens. They did not live in luxury and did not eat the best dishes like the rulers of other states.
It can be argued that absolute equality reigned among the citizens of the policy, which makes Sparta a unique state in the history of human civilization. This social order was established by the reforms of Lycurgus and continued to be maintained after his death.
Control system
The barracks society corresponded to its internal structure, which was also not spared by the reforms of Lycurgus. In Sparta, the emergence of a military-type state led to the dominance of the slave-owning aristocracy, while the popular assembly did not play a big role in public life and was convened from time to time. Only full-fledged citizens over the age of 30 participated in it. It resolved issues of election of officials, disputes about succession to the throne, about an alliance with other states, etc.
At the head of Sparta were 2 kings who performed the duties of priests, commanders and judges, but did not have political power. In addition, there was also a Council of 28 elders - representatives of noble families who had reached the age of 60. Membership of the Council was for life.
Nevertheless, the real control of the state was in the hands of the ephors. They were elected for a year and occupied an exceptional position in Spartan society. The ephors made their decisions by majority vote. They were in charge of foreign policy, internal management and control over the activities of all officials, including kings. The ephors reported only to their successors.
This division of power led to the fact that the Spartan social system did not change for more than 400 years, which the Greeks of other policies admired, since there was no tyranny here.
Land issue
Despite the fact that the famous Spartan legislator lived more than 2500 years ago, historians still show a keen interest in his activities. Moreover, the reforms of Lycurgus are being studied in the 5th grade of secondary school, which undoubtedly proves their importance not only for the society of Ancient Sparta, but also for European civilization as a whole. What was remarkable about these laws?
According to the reforms of Lycurgus, in Sparta all land was the property of the state. And only full-fledged citizens had the opportunity to use it. Fertile lands were divided into several thousand equal plots. Each Spartiate received his allotment by lot. True, he was not allowed to cultivate the site by law. Helots were involved for this.
In addition, citizens were forbidden to engage in crafts and trade. As a result of such restrictions, none of the Spartans could get rich,therefore, in no way could he stand out from the society of equals. Moreover, full-fledged citizens of the policy even dressed the same way.
Measures against hoarding
The desire to get rich was hindered by the Spartan money itself, which, according to the reforms of Lycurgus, was large and heavy. They were minted not from gold or silver, as in other ancient states, but from iron and copper. Therefore, hardly anyone was tempted to steal them or use them as a means of accumulating we alth.
Also, Lycurgus withdrew Sparta from the Greek market, since iron money was not in circulation in other states. From such a desire for equalization, the economic life of the policy was in decline for centuries. On the other hand, the laws allowed the Spartans to steal other people's things with impunity.
Education system
The state interfered in the privacy of citizens, while parental feelings were not taken into account. If a child was born in a family, then the most important question was how valuable it would be for the state.
In accordance with the reforms of Lycurgus, in Sparta the education system was divided into three age stages:
- 7 to 12 years old;
- from 12 to 20;
- 20 to 30.
The state has actually subordinated the process of raising children to its military needs. At the age of 7, boys were taken from their families to camps, which were divided into detachments. The main qualities that were brought up in a little Spartan are unquestioningsubmission, perseverance, endurance and the desire to win at any cost. They were taught to endure pain, not to cry, to be silent for a long time, but to speak briefly.
At the age of 12, teenagers joined the detachments under the supervision of older boys. At this stage, the Spartans learned to wield weapons, act as a phalanx, and got acquainted with battle tactics. One of the last exams for all young Spartans was the murder of a slave at night. Moreover, the main thing in this ritual was not the murder itself, but the ability not to get caught. Otherwise, the examinee would face severe punishment.
Hoplites of Sparta
By the age of 18, young men became warriors (hoplites) and could marry, but they were only allowed to spend nights with their wife. Compulsory military education ended at the age of 30, when a Spartan became a full citizen of the policy.
Heavily armed hoplites, whose equipment weighed 30 kg, were part of a phalanx consisting of 8 thousand people and divided into 8 ranks. In fact, the war was for the Spartans a rest from preparing for it.
However, the girls weren't locked up either. They were divided into detachments, in which they practiced javelin and discus throwing, wrestling, and running. Such exercises were not inferior in complexity to men's. Therefore, Spartan women were famous for their physical strength.
In repelling the Persian invasion (V century BC), Sparta played a huge role. Her army led the Greek land forces. The high combat capability of the hoplites is the result of the reforms of Lycurgus in Sparta. Where it happened, that is, where the battle preserved in the annals of history took place,many know. We are talking about the Battle of Thermopylae, in which three hundred Spartans, led by King Leonidas, stopped the huge army of the Persians at the cost of their lives.
Reverse side of the coin
In the entire history of the existence of the Spartan state, there was not a single cultural figure here, which strikingly distinguished it from other Greek policies, especially Athens. The Spartans were only literate enough to read the order of the commander and sign the document if required.
While in Athens competitions of orators were regularly held, in Sparta, on the contrary, speaking beautifully and much was considered a sign of bad education. Its citizens spoke little, and expressed their thoughts briefly and clearly, that is, concisely. All this was also a consequence of the reforms of Lycurgus.
Having subjugated most of Greece in the 5th-4th centuries BC, the Spartans could not take on the burden of government due to their limited cultural level. They were not adapted to peaceful life and solving its problems. Because of this, there was a fall of all the foundations of the military society that was formed after the reforms of Lycurgus. The emergence of Sparta and the peculiarities of its development led to stagnation in the political and socio-economic life of the policy.
The decline of statehood
The victory in the Peloponnesian war over Athens gave impetus to the development of commodity-money relations in Sparta, which led to an increase in social contradictions and property differentiation. All this weakened the state from within. Like other Greek policies, inmiddle of the 2nd century BC. e. it came under the rule of Rome.
However, this did not mean complete oblivion. Even today, such events of ancient history as the Battle of Kadesh and the reforms of Lycurgus in Sparta are of interest to those who are interested in Antiquity.
