In the south-east of the largest Greek peninsula - the Peloponnese - powerful Sparta was once located. This state was located in the region of Laconia, in the picturesque valley of the Evros River. Its official name, which was most often mentioned in international treaties, is Lacedaemon. It was from this state that such concepts as "Spartan" and "Spartan" came. Everyone has also heard about the cruel custom that has developed in this ancient polis: to kill weak newborns in order to maintain the gene pool of their nation.
History of occurrence
Officially, Sparta, which was called Lacedaemon (the name of the nome, Laconia, also came from this word), arose in the eleventh century BC. After some time, the entire area on which this city-state was located was captured by the Dorian tribes. Those, having assimilated with the local Achaeans, became Spartakiates in the sense known today, and the former inhabitants were turned into slaves, called helots.
The most Doric of all the states that Ancient Greece once knew, Sparta, was located on the western bank of the Eurotas, on the site of the modern city of the same name. Its name can be translated as "scattered". It consisted of estates and estates that were scattered across Laconia. And the center was a low hill, which later became known as the acropolis. Initially, Sparta had no walls and remained true to this principle until the second century BC.
The government of Sparta
It was based on the principle of unity of all full-fledged citizens of the policy. For this, the state and law of Sparta strictly regulated the life and life of its subjects, restraining their property stratification. The foundations of such a social system were laid by the agreement of the legendary Lycurgus. According to him, the duties of the Spartans were only sports or military arts, and crafts, agriculture and trade were the work of helots and perieks.
As a result, the system established by Lycurgus transformed the Spartan military democracy into an oligarchic-slave-owning republic, which at the same time still retained some signs of a tribal system. Here, private ownership of land was not allowed, which was divided into equal plots, considered the property of the community and not subject to sale. Helot slaves also, as historians suggest, belonged to the state, not to we althy citizens.
Sparta is one of the few states headed by two kings at the same time, whocalled archaetes. Their power was hereditary. The powers that each king of Sparta possessed were limited not only to military power, but also to the organization of sacrifices, as well as participation in the council of elders.
The latter was called gerousia and consisted of two archagetes and twenty-eight gerontes. The elders were elected by the people's assembly for life only from the Spartan nobility who had reached sixty years of age. Gerusia in Sparta performed the functions of a certain government body. She prepared issues that needed to be discussed at public meetings, and also led foreign policy. In addition, the council of elders considered criminal cases, as well as state crimes, directed, among other things, against the archagets.
Court
Judicial proceedings and the law of ancient Sparta were regulated by the board of ephors. This organ first appeared in the eighth century BC. It consisted of the five most worthy citizens of the state, who were elected by the people's assembly for only one year. At first, the powers of the ephors were limited only to litigation of property disputes. But already in the sixth century BC, their power and authority are growing. Gradually, they begin to displace gerusia. The ephors were given the right to convene a national assembly and gerousia, regulate foreign policy, and exercise internal control over Sparta and its legal proceedings. This body was so important in the social structure of the state that its powers included the control of officials, including the archageta.
People's Assembly
Sparta is an example of an aristocratic state. In order to suppress the forced population, whose representatives were called helots, the development of private property was artificially restrained in order to maintain equality among the Spartans themselves.
Apella, or popular assembly, in Sparta was distinguished by passivity. Only full-fledged male citizens who had reached the age of thirty had the right to participate in this body. At first, the people's assembly was convened by the archaget, but later its leadership also passed to the college of ephors. Apella could not discuss the issues put forward, she only rejected or accepted the decision she proposed. The members of the people's assembly voted in a very primitive way: by shouting or dividing the participants on different sides, after which the majority was determined by eye.
Population
Inhabitants of the Lacedaemonian state have always been class unequal. This situation was created by the social system of Sparta, which provided for three estates: the elite, perieks - free residents from nearby cities who did not have the right to vote, as well as state slaves - helots.
The Spartans, who were in privileged conditions, were engaged exclusively in war. They were far from trade, crafts and agriculture, all this was given as a right to be farmed out to the perieks. At the same time, the estates of the elite Spartans were processed by the helots, whom the latter rented from the state. During the heyday of the state, the nobility wasfive times less than perieks, and ten times less than helots.
History of Sparta
All periods of existence of this one of the most ancient states can be divided into prehistoric, ancient, classical, Roman and Hellenistic eras. Each of them left its mark not only in the formation of the ancient state of Sparta. Greece borrowed a lot from this history in the process of its formation.
Prehistory
The Leleges originally lived on the Laconian lands, but after the capture of the Peloponnese by the Dorians, this area, which has always been considered the most infertile and generally insignificant, as a result of deceit went to the two minor sons of the legendary king Aristodem - Eurysthenes and Proclus.
Soon, Sparta became the main city of Lacedaemon, the system of which for a long time did not stand out among the rest of the Doric states. She waged constant external wars with neighboring Argive or Arcadian cities. The most significant rise occurred during the reign of Lycurgus, the ancient Spartan legislator, to whom ancient historians unanimously attribute the political structure that subsequently dominated Sparta for several centuries.
Antique era
After winning the wars lasting from 743 to 723 and from 685 to 668. BC, Sparta was able to finally defeat and capture Messenia. As a result, its ancient inhabitants were deprived of their lands and turned into helots. Six years later, Sparta, at the cost of incredible efforts, defeated the Arcadians, and in 660 BC. e. forced Tegea to recognize her hegemony. According totreaty, stored on a column placed nearby with Alfea, she forced her to conclude a military alliance. From that time on, Sparta in the eyes of the peoples began to be considered the first state of Greece.
The history of Sparta at this stage boils down to the fact that its inhabitants began to make attempts to overthrow the tyrants that appeared from the seventh millennium BC. e. in almost all Greek states. It was the Spartans who helped drive the Kypselids from Corinth, the Peisistrati from Athens, they contributed to the liberation of Sicyon and Phokis, as well as several islands in the Aegean Sea, thereby gaining grateful supporters in different states.
History of Sparta in the classical era
Having entered into an alliance with Tegea and Elis, the Spartans began to attract the rest of the cities of Laconia and neighboring regions to their side. As a result, the Peloponnesian Union was formed, in which Sparta assumed hegemony. These were wonderful times for her: she led the wars, was the center of meetings and all meetings of the Union, without encroaching on the independence of individual states that retained autonomy.
Sparta never tried to extend its own power to the Peloponnese, but the threat of danger prompted all other states, with the exception of Argos, during the Greco-Persian wars to come under its protection. Having eliminated the danger directly, the Spartans, realizing that they were unable to wage war with the Persians far from their own borders, did not object when Athens took on further leadership.superiority in the war, limited only to the peninsula.
From that time on, signs of rivalry between these two states began to appear, which later culminated in the First Peloponnesian War, ending in the Thirty Years' Peace. The fighting not only broke the power of Athens and established the hegemony of Sparta, but also led to a gradual violation of its foundations - the legislation of Lycurgus.
As a result, in 397 BC there was an uprising of Kinadon, which, however, was not crowned with success. However, after certain setbacks, especially the defeat at the battle of Knidos in 394 BC. e, Sparta ceded Asia Minor, but became a judge and mediator in Greek affairs, thus motivating its policy with the freedom of all states, and was able to secure primacy in alliance with Persia. And only Thebes did not obey the conditions set, thereby depriving Sparta of the advantages of such a shameful world for her.
Hellenistic and Roman era
Starting from these years, the state began to decline rather quickly. Impoverished and burdened with the debts of its citizens, Sparta, whose system was based on the legislation of Lycurgus, turned into an empty form of government. An alliance was made with the Phocians. And although the Spartans sent them help, they did not provide real support. In the absence of Alexander the Great, King Agis, with the help of money received from Darius, made an attempt to get rid of the Macedonian yoke. But he, having failed in the battles of Megapolis, was killed. Gradually becamedisappear and become a household spirit, which was so famous for Sparta.
Rise of an empire
Sparta is a state that for three centuries was the envy of all Ancient Greece. Between the eighth and fifth centuries BC, it was a collection of hundreds of cities, often at war with each other. One of the key figures for the formation of Sparta as a powerful and strong state was Lycurgus. Before its appearance, it was not much different from the rest of the ancient Greek policies-states. But with the advent of Lycurgus, the situation changed, and priorities in development were given to the art of war. From that moment on, Lacedaemon began to transform. And it was during this period that he flourished.
Starting from the eighth century BC. e. Sparta began to wage aggressive wars, conquering one by one its neighbors in the Peloponnese. After a series of successful military operations, Sparta moved on to establishing diplomatic ties with its most powerful opponents. Having concluded several treaties, Lacedaemon stood at the head of the union of the Peloponnesian states, which was considered one of the most powerful formations of ancient Greece. The creation of this alliance by Sparta was supposed to serve to repel the Persian invasion.
The state of Sparta was a mystery to historians. The Greeks not only admired its citizens, but feared them. One type of bronze shields and scarlet cloaks worn by Spartan warriors put opponents to flight, forcing them to capitulate.
Not only the enemies, but the Greeks themselves did not really like it when an army, even a small one, was stationed next to them. Everything was explainedvery simple: the warriors of Sparta had a reputation for being invincible. The sight of their phalanxes caused even the worldly-wise to panic. And although only a small number of fighters participated in the battles in those days, nevertheless, they never lasted long.
The beginning of the decline of the empire
But at the beginning of the fifth century BC. e. a massive invasion, undertaken from the East, was the beginning of the decline of the power of Sparta. The huge Persian empire, always dreaming of expanding its territories, sent a large army to Greece. Two hundred thousand people stood at the borders of Hellas. But the Greeks, led by the Spartans, accepted the challenge.
Tsar Leonidas
Being the son of Anaxandrides, this king belonged to the Agiad dynasty. After the death of his older brothers, Dorieus and Klemen the First, it was Leonidas who took over the reign. Sparta in 480 years before our era was at war with Persia. And the name of Leonidas is associated with the immortal feat of the Spartans, when a battle took place in the Thermopylae Gorge, which has remained in history for centuries.
It happened in 480 BC. e., when the hordes of the Persian king Xerxes tried to capture the narrow passage connecting Central Greece with Thessaly. At the head of the troops, including the allied ones, was Tsar Leonid. Sparta at that time occupied a leading position among friendly states. But Xerxes, taking advantage of the betrayal of the dissatisfied, bypassed the Thermopylae Gorge and went into the rear of the Greeks.
Warriors of Sparta
Having learned about this, Leonid, who fought on a par with his warriors,disbanded the allied detachments, sending them home. And he himself, with a handful of warriors, whose number was only three hundred people, stood in the way of the twenty thousandth Persian army. The Thermopylae Gorge was strategic for the Greeks. In case of defeat, they would be cut off from Central Greece, and their fate would be sealed.
For four days, the Persians failed to break the incomparably smaller enemy forces. The heroes of Sparta fought like lions. But the forces were unequal.
Fearless warriors of Sparta died every one. Together with them, their king Leonid fought to the end, who did not want to abandon his comrades.
Leonid's name has gone down in history forever. Chroniclers, including Herodotus, wrote: “Many kings have died and have long been forgotten. But Leonid is known and honored by everyone. His name will always be remembered by Sparta, Greece. And not because he was a king, but because he fulfilled his duty to his homeland to the end and died like a hero. Films have been made and books written about this episode in the life of the heroic Hellenes.
Feat of the Spartans
The Persian king Xerxes, who never left the dream of capturing Hellas, invaded Greece in 480 BC. At this time, the Hellenes held the Olympic Games. The Spartans were preparing to celebrate Carnei.
Both of these holidays obliged the Greeks to observe a sacred truce. This was one of the main reasons why only a small detachment opposed the Persians in the Thermopylae Gorge.
A detachment of three hundredSpartans led by King Leonidas. Warriors were selected on the basis of having children. On the way, a thousand Tegeans, Arcadians and Mantineans, as well as one hundred and twenty from Orchomenus, joined the militias of Leonidas. Four hundred soldiers were sent from Corinth, three hundred from Fliunt and Mycenae.
When this small army approached the Thermopylae Pass and saw the number of Persians, many soldiers got scared and started talking about retreat. Part of the allies proposed to withdraw to the peninsula in order to guard Isthm. Others, however, were outraged by the decision. Leonid, ordered the army to remain in place, sent messengers to all the cities asking for help, since they had too few soldiers to successfully repel the attack of the Persians.
For four whole days, King Xerxes, hoping that the Greeks would take flight, did not start hostilities. But seeing that this was not happening, he sent the Cassians and Medes against them with orders to take Leonidas alive and bring him to him. They quickly attacked the Hellenes. Each attack of the Medes ended in huge losses, but others came to replace the fallen. It was then that it became clear to both the Spartans and the Persians that Xerxes had many people, but there were few warriors among them. The fight lasted all day.
Having received a decisive rebuff, the Medes were forced to retreat. But they were replaced by the Persians, led by Gidarn. Xerxes called them the "immortal" detachment and hoped that they would easily finish off the Spartans. But in hand-to-hand combat, they did not succeed, just like the Medes, to achieve great success.
The Persians had to fight intightness, and with shorter spears, while the Greeks had longer ones, which in this duel gave a certain advantage.
At night, the Spartans attacked the Persian camp again. They managed to kill many enemies, but their main goal was to defeat Xerxes himself in the general turmoil. And only when dawn broke, the Persians saw the small number of the detachment of King Leonidas. They pelted the Spartans with spears and finished off with arrows.
The road to Central Greece was opened for the Persians. Xerxes personally inspected the battlefield. Finding the deceased Spartan king, he ordered him to cut off his head and put it on a stake.
There is a legend that Tsar Leonid, going to Thermopylae, clearly understood that he would die, therefore, when his wife asked him what the orders would be, he ordered him to find a good husband and give birth to sons. This was the life position of the Spartans, who were ready to die for their Motherland on the battlefield in order to receive a crown of glory.
Beginning of the Peloponnesian War
After some time, the Greek policies that were at war with each other united and were able to repel Xerxes. But, despite the joint victory over the Persians, the alliance between Sparta and Athens did not last long. In 431 BC. e. The Peloponnesian War broke out. And only a few decades later, the Spartan state was able to win.
But not everyone in ancient Greece liked the supremacy of Lacedaemon. Therefore, half a century later, new hostilities broke out. This time, Thebes became his rivals, who, with alliesmanaged to inflict a serious defeat on Sparta. As a result, the power of the state was lost.
Conclusion
This is what ancient Sparta was like. She was one of the main contenders for primacy and supremacy in the ancient Greek picture of the world. Some milestones in Spartan history are sung in the works of the great Homer. The outstanding Iliad occupies a special place among them.
And now only the ruins of some of its structures and unfading glory now remain from this glorious policy. Legends about the heroism of her warriors, as well as a small town of the same name in the south of the Peloponnese peninsula, reached contemporaries.
