Sparta – ancient state in Greece, now known throughout the world. Concepts such as “Spartan” and “Spartan” came from Sparta. Everyone also knows the Spartans’ custom of killing weak children to maintain the gene pool of the nation.

Now Sparta is a small town in Greece, the center of the Laconia region, located in the Peloponnese region. And before, the Spartan state was one of the main contenders for supremacy in ancient Greek world. Some milestones in the history of Sparta are glorified in the works of Homer, including the outstanding “Iliad”. In addition, we all know the films “300 Spartans” and “Troy,” the plot of which also touches on some historical events involving Sparta.

Officially, Sparta was called Lacedaemon, hence the name of the nome Laconia. The emergence of Sparta dates back to the 11th century BC. After some time, the area in which the city-state was located was conquered by Dorian tribes, who, having assimilated with the local Achaeans, became Spartakiates in the sense we know. The former inhabitants of the city were turned into helot slaves.

One of key figures The formation of Sparta as a strong state is Lycurgus, who ruled the city in the 9th century BC. Before the advent of Lycurgus, Sparta, Greece was not much different from other ancient Greek city-states; art, trade, and crafts were also developed here. The poetry of its poets also speaks of the high culture of the Spartan state. However, with the coming to power of Lycurgus, the situation changed radically; priority in development was given to military art. From that moment on, Lacedaemon transformed into a powerful military state.

Beginning in the 8th century BC, Sparta began to wage wars of conquest in the Peloponnese, conquering its neighbors one by one. Thus, the glory of the so-called Messenian wars, the 1st and 2nd, has reached our days, as a result of which Sparta won. The citizens of Messenia were turned into helot slaves. Argos and Arcadia were conquered in the same way.

After a series of military operations to seize works and new territories, Lacedaemon moved to establish diplomatic relations with its neighbors. By concluding treaties, Lacedaemon became the head of the union of the Peloponnesian states - a powerful formation of Ancient Greece.

The creation of the Peloponnesian Union of States by Sparta served as a prototype for a future alliance with Athens to repel the threat of a Persian invasion. During the war with Persia in the 5th century BC, the famous Battle of Thermopylae, which served as the source for the plot of the famous American film "300". And although the plot of the film is far from historical reality, thanks to it, millions of people around the world learned about this battle.

Despite their joint victory in the war with the Persians, the alliance of Athens and Sparta did not last long. In 431 BC, the so-called Peloponnesian War broke out, in which, several decades later, the Spartan state won.

However, not everyone in Ancient Greece was happy with the supremacy of Lacedaemon and 50 years after the Peloponnesian War broke out new war. This time, Thebes and its allies became the rivals of the Spartans, who managed to inflict a serious defeat on Sparta, after which the power of the Spartan state was lost. It is worth noting that between these two bloody and brutal wars for dominance on the peninsula, the Spartans did not sit idle; almost all this time they waged wars against various city-states of Ancient Greece, which ultimately crippled the forces of Lacedaemon.

After the defeat from Thebes, Lacedaemon fought several more wars. Among them are the war with Macedonia in the 4th century BC, which brought defeat to the Spartans, and the war with the invading Galatians in the early 3rd century BC. The Spartans also fought for dominance in the Peloponnese with the newly created Achaean League, and somewhat later, already at the beginning of the 2nd century BC, they were participants in the Laconian War. All these battles and wars clearly showed the strong decline in the former power of the Spartan state. Eventually, Sparta, Greece was forcibly included Ancient Rome, along with other ancient Greek states. Thus ended an independent period in the history of a proud and warlike state. Sparta, an ancient state in Greece, ceased to exist, becoming one of the provinces of Ancient Rome.

The structure of the ancient Spartan state was significantly different from other ancient Greek city-polises. Thus, the rulers of Lacedaemon were two kings from two dynasties - the Agids and the Eurypontids. They ruled the state together with a council of elders, the so-called gerusia, which included 28 people. The gerusia composition was for life. In addition, important government decisions were made at a national assembly called an appelle. Only free citizens who had reached the age of 30 and had sufficient funds took part in the meeting. Arose somewhat later government agency ephors, which included 5 officials from 5 Spartan regions, who together had more power than the kings.

The population of the Spartan state was class-unequal: Spartans, perieki - free residents from nearby cities who did not have the right to vote, and helots - state slaves. The Spartans were supposed to engage exclusively in war; they were not allowed to participate in trade, crafts and agriculture, all this was left to the perieks. The Spartan estates were farmed by helots rented from the state. During the heyday of the Spartan state, there were 5 times fewer Spartans than perioecians and 10 times fewer than helots.

Such was the ancient Sparta, from which now remain the ruins of its buildings, the unfading glory of the warrior state and the small cities of the same name in the south of the Peloponnese.

Sparta

The Spartan way of life was well described by Xenophon in his work: Lacedaemonian Politics. He wrote that in most states everyone enriches themselves as best they can, without disdaining by any means. In Sparta, on the contrary, the legislator, with his inherent wisdom, deprived wealth of all attractiveness. All Spartariats - poor and rich - lead exactly the same way of life, eat the same at a common table, wear the same modest clothes, their children without any differences and concessions to military drill. So acquisitions are devoid of any meaning in Sparta. Lycurgus (the Spartan king) turned money into a laughing stock: it is so inconvenient. This is where the expression “Spartan way of life” comes from, meaning simple, without any frills, restrained, strict and severe.

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All the ancient classics from Herodotus and Aristotle to Plutarch agreed that before Lycurgus came to rule Sparta, the existing order there was ugly. And that there were no worse laws in any of the then Greek city-states. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the Spartans had to constantly keep in obedience the masses of the indigenous Greek population of the once conquered lands, turned into slaves or semi-dependent tributaries. It goes without saying that internal political conflicts posed a threat to the very existence of the state.

In ancient Sparta there was a bizarre mixture of totalitarianism and democracy. The founder of the “Spartan way of life,” the legendary ancient reformer Lycurgus, created, according to many researchers, the prototype of both social-communist and fascist political systems of the twentieth century. Lycurgus not only transformed the political and economic system of Sparta, but also completely regulated the personal life of his fellow citizens. Severe measures to “correct morals” presupposed, in particular, the decisive eradication of “private property” vices - greed and self-interest, for which money was almost completely devalued.

Lycurgus's thoughts, therefore, not only pursued the goal of establishing order, but were also called upon to solve the problem national security Spartan power.

The history of Sparta
Sparta, the main city of the region of Laconia, was located on the western bank of the Eurotas River and extended north from the modern city of Sparta. Laconia (Laconica) is the abbreviated name for the region, which was fully called Lacedaemon, so the inhabitants of this area were often called “Lacedaemonians”, which is equivalent to the words “Spartan” or “Spartiate”.

From the 8th century BC. Sparta began to expand by conquering its neighbors - other Greek city-states. During the 1st and 2nd Messenian Wars (between 725 and 600 BC), the region of Messenia to the west of Sparta was conquered, and the Messenians were turned into helots, i.e. state slaves.

Having recaptured more territory from Argos and Arcadia, Sparta moved from a policy of conquest to increasing its power through treaties with various Greek city-states. As the head of the Peloponnesian League (began to emerge around 550 BC, took shape around 510-500 BC), Sparta actually turned into the most powerful military power in Greece. This created a counterweight to the impending Persian invasion, which the combined efforts of the Peloponnesian League and Athens and its allies led to decisive victories over the Persians at Salamis and Plataea in 480 and 479 BC.

Conflict between the two greatest states of Greece, Sparta and Athens, land and sea powers, was inevitable, and in 431 BC. The Peloponnesian War broke out. Ultimately, in 404 BC. Sparta took over.

Dissatisfaction with Spartan dominance in Greece led to a new war. The Thebans and their allies, led by Epaminondas, inflicted a heavy defeat on the Spartans and Sparta began to lose its former power.

Sparta had a special political and social structure. The Spartan state has long been headed by two hereditary kings. They held meetings together with the gerusia - the council of elders, to which 28 people over 60 years of age were elected for life. All Spartans who had reached the age of 30 and had sufficient funds to do what was considered necessary for a citizen, in particular, to contribute their share to participate in joint meals (fidityas), participated in the national assembly (apella). Later, the institution of ephors arose, five officials who were elected by the assembly, one from each region of Sparta. The five ephors had power that exceeded that of the kings.

The type of civilization that is now called “Spartan” is not typical for early Sparta. Before 600 BC Spartan culture generally coincided with the way of life of the then Athens and other Greek states. Fragments of sculptures, fine ceramics, ivory, bronze, lead and terracotta figurines discovered in this area indicate high level Spartan culture in the same way as the poetry of the Spartan poets Tyrtaeus and Alcman (7th century BC). However, shortly after 600 BC. there was a sudden change. Art and poetry are disappearing. Sparta suddenly turned into a military camp, and from then on the militarized state produced only soldiers. The introduction of this way of life is attributed to Lycurgus, the hereditary king of Sparta.

The Spartan state consisted of three classes: the Spartiates, or Spartans; perieki ("living nearby") - people from the allied cities surrounding Lacedaemon; helots are slaves of the Spartans.

Only Spartiates could vote and enter governing bodies. They were forbidden to engage in trade and, in order to discourage them from making profit, to use gold and silver coins. The land plots of the Spartiates, cultivated by helots, were supposed to provide their owners with sufficient income to purchase military equipment and meet everyday needs. The Spartan masters did not have the right to release or sell the helots assigned to them; helots were given to the Spartans for temporary use and were the property of the Spartan state. Unlike an ordinary slave, who could not have any property, helots had the right to that part of the products produced on their site that remained after paying a fixed share of the harvest to the Spartans. To prevent uprisings of the helots who had a numerical superiority and to maintain the combat readiness of their own citizens, secret sorties (cryptia) were constantly organized to kill the helots.

Trade and production were carried out by the Perieki. They did not participate in political life Sparta, but had some rights, as well as the privilege of serving in the army.

Thanks to the work of numerous helots, the Spartiates were able to devote all their time to physical exercise and military affairs. By 600 BC there were about 25 thousand citizens, 100 thousand perieks and 250 thousand helots. Later, the number of helots outnumbered the number of citizens by 15 times.

Wars and economic hardships reduced the number of Spartiates. During the Greco-Persian Wars (480 BC), Sparta fielded c. 5000 Spartiates, but a century later in the Battle of Leuctra (371 BC) only 2000 of them fought. It is mentioned that in the 3rd century. There were only 700 citizens in Sparta.

Spartan upbringing
The state controlled the lives of citizens from birth to death. At birth, all children were examined by elders, who decided whether they were healthy, strong and not crippled. In the latter case, children, as unable to become a capable instrument of the state, were doomed to death, for which they were thrown into the abyss from the Taygetos rock. If they were healthy, they were returned to their parents for upbringing, which lasted up to 6 years.

The upbringing was extremely harsh. From the age of 7, the child completely belonged to the power of the state, and children devoted almost all their time to physical exercises, during which they were allowed to kick, bite, and even scratch each other with their nails. All city boys were divided into ranks and classes and lived together under the supervision of state-appointed overseers. The overseers, in turn, with all their subordinates were under the command of the chief overseer - the pedonom. This position was usually occupied by one of the noblest and most honorable citizens. This joint education ensured that all children were imbued with one common spirit and direction. In addition to gymnastics, the Spartans were taught at school to play the flute and sing religious war hymns. Modesty and respect for elders were the first duty of young people.

The children were brought up in the greatest simplicity and moderation, and were subjected to all kinds of hardships. Their food was bad and so insufficient that they had to provide themselves with the missing food. For this, as well as to develop resourcefulness and dexterity in the young Spartiates, they were allowed to steal something edible with impunity, but if the thief was caught, he was painfully punished. The children's clothing consisted of a simple cloak, and they always went barefoot. They slept on hay, straw or reeds that they themselves collected from the Eurotas River. Every year on the festival of Artemis, boys were flogged until they bled, and some of them fell dead, without uttering a single sound, without uttering a single plaintive moan. By this they thought to ensure that the men who emerged from such boys would not be afraid of either wounds or death in battle.

After probationary period, at the age of 15, teenagers fell into the Eirens group. Here the training was based on drill and weapons mastery. The basis of physical training itself was the pentathlon (penathlon) and fist fighting. Fist fighting, as well as hand-to-hand combat techniques, constituted “Spartan gymnastics.” Even the dance served to prepare a warrior: in the course of rhythmic movements it was necessary to imitate a duel with an enemy, throw a spear, manipulate a shield in order to dodge the stones that teachers and adults threw during the dance. Spartan youths usually walked through the streets with a quiet, even step, with their eyes downcast and their hands under their cloak (the latter was considered a sign of modesty in Greece). From childhood they learned not to make speeches, but to answer briefly and forcefully. Hence such answers are now called “laconic”.

At the age of twenty, the Spartan completed his education and entered the army. He had the right to marry, but could only visit his wife in secret.

At the age of 30, a Spartiate became a full citizen, could legally marry and participate in the national assembly, but he spent the lion's share of his time in the gymnasium, lesha (something like a club) and fidity. Marriage was concluded between young people freely, according to inclination. Usually the Spartiate kidnapped his girlfriend (with the knowledge of his parents, however) and saw her in secret for some time, and then openly declared her his wife and brought her into the house. The position of a wife in Sparta was quite honorable: she was the mistress of the house, did not lead such a reclusive life as in the East and partly among other Greek tribes, and in better times Sparta displayed a high patriotic spirit.

Spartan girls also underwent athletic training, which included running, jumping, wrestling, discus and javelin throwing. Lycurgus introduced such training for girls so that they would grow up strong and courageous, capable of giving birth to strong and healthy children. Spartan women were known for their beauty throughout Greece; Spartan nurses achieved such fame that rich people everywhere tried to entrust their children to them.

Customs and life of the Spartans
Laws concerning private lifestyles were entirely aimed at eliminating inequality.

The Spartans were prescribed the strictest way of life. For example, men could not dine at home; they gathered at common tables, where they dined in groups or partnerships. This custom of public tables was called sissitiya. Each member of the partnership delivered a certain amount of flour, wine, fruit and money to the table. They dined very sparingly; their favorite dish was black stew, cooked with pork, seasoned with blood, vinegar and salt. To cover the costs of such a common table, each Spartan citizen was obliged to deliver a certain amount of food supplies every month: barley flour, wine, cheese and figs. Seasonings were purchased with small monetary contributions. The poorest people who were unable to pay these contributions were exempted from them. But only those who were busy making sacrifices or felt tired after hunting could be exempted from sissitia. In this case, to justify his absence, he had to send part of the sacrifice he made or the animal he killed to sissitia.

In private dwellings, Lycurgus banished every sign of luxury, for which they were ordered not to use any other tools in the construction of houses except an ax and a saw.

A natural consequence of the simplicity of such relations and needs was that money in the state did not circulate in large quantities, and with limited trade with other states, especially in the early times, they easily managed without gold and silver.

The greatest simplicity was also observed in clothing and housing. Only before the battle did the Spartans dress up as if for a holiday: they then put on scarlet cloaks, decorated their long hair with wreaths and walked with songs to the sound of flutes.

Given the extraordinary attachment of the Spartans to their laws and customs mental development they were delayed by the entire system of ancient institutions, adapted to their state structure. And when orators, sophists, philosophers, historians and dramatic poets appeared in other Greek states, the mental side of education among the Spartans was limited only to learning to read and write, sacred and warlike songs, which they sang at festivals and when starting a battle.

Such originality in morals and education, which was supported by the laws of Lycurgus, further strengthened the opposition between the Spartans and all other Hellenes and led to an even greater alienation of the natural character of the Spartan-Dorian tribe. Therefore, although they point to the Lycurgus law, according to which no foreigner could remain in Sparta longer than the necessary time and had no right to live long outside the fatherland, it is obvious that this was simply a custom arising from the very essence of things.

The natural severity of Sparta in itself removed the stranger from it, and if anything could attract him there, it was curiosity alone. For a Spartan, either side could not have any attraction, since there he encountered customs and living conditions alien to him, which he had learned from childhood to treat with nothing other than contempt.

In addition to the laws set forth establishing moderation, preservation of bodily health, and contempt for all kinds of dangers, there were also other decrees that directly sought to form warriors and brave men from the Spartans.

Staying in a military camp was considered a holiday. There is strictness here home life I received some relief and lived somewhat more freely. The scarlet clothes worn by the Spartans in war, the wreaths with which they adorned themselves when entering battle, the sounds of flutes and songs that accompanied them when attacking the enemy - all this gave the previously terrible war a cheerful, solemn character.

Brave warriors who fell on the battlefield were buried crowned with laurel wreaths. Burial in scarlet clothing was even more honorable; names were indicated only on the graves of those killed in battle. The coward was punished with insulting shame. Whoever fled the battlefield or left the ranks was deprived of the right to participate in gymnastic games, in sissities, did not dare to buy or sell, in a word, he was exposed to general contempt and reproach in everything.

Therefore, before the battle, mothers admonished their sons: “With a shield or on a shield.” “With a shield” means I expect your return with victory. “On the shield” means it is better to bring you dead than to flee from the battlefield and return in disgrace.

Conclusion
The Spartiates deliberately introduced despotism, which deprived the individual of freedom and initiative and destroyed the influence of the family. However, the Spartan way of life greatly appealed to Plato, who incorporated many of its militaristic, totalitarian and communist features into his ideal state.

The upbringing of the younger generation was considered in Sparta a matter of national importance and a direct task of the state.

In essence, Sparta was a rather backward agrarian state, which not only did not care about the development of its productive forces, but, paradoxically, moreover, saw as its goal any obstacle to it. Trade and craft were considered here as activities that dishonored a citizen; only newcomers (perieki) could engage in this, and even then on a relatively limited scale.

However, Sparta's backwardness lies not only in the structure of its economy. In essence, the vestiges of the clan organization of society are still very strong here, the polis principle is weakly manifested, and not least this circumstance prevents it from uniting Greece. However, the remnants of the clan organization and the weakness of the polis principle are superimposed on strict ideological restrictions. The ancient polis strictly linked its ideas of freedom, among other things, with complete economic independence. It’s just that in Sparta, as perhaps in no other Greek state, both general backwardness and the desire for absolute economic self-sufficiency manifested themselves in the most dramatic and contrasting form.

It is not for nothing that Sparta is considered the strangest state of Ancient Hellas: this reputation was firmly attached to it even among the ancient Greeks. Some looked at the Spartan state with undisguised admiration, while others denounced the order that reigned in it, considering them bad and even immoral. And yet, it was Sparta, militarized, closed and law-abiding, that became the model of the ideal state invented by Plato, a native of Sparta’s eternal rival - democratic Athens.

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The glory of Sparta, a Peloponnesian city in Laconia, is very loud in historical chronicles and in the world. It was one of the most famous policies of Ancient Greece, which did not know unrest and civil upheaval, and its army never retreated before its enemies.

Sparta was founded by Lacedaemon, who reigned in Laconia one and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ and named the city after his wife. In the first centuries of the city’s existence, there were no walls around it: they were erected only under the tyrant Naviz. True, they were later destroyed, but Appius Claudius soon erected new ones.

The ancient Greeks considered the creator of the Spartan state to be the legislator Lycurgus, whose life spanned approximately the first half of the 7th century BC. e. The population of ancient Sparta in its composition was divided at that time into three groups: Spartans, Perieki and Helots. The Spartans lived in Sparta itself and enjoyed all the rights of citizenship of their city-state: they had to fulfill all the requirements of the law and they were admitted to all honorary public positions. The occupation of agriculture and crafts, although it was not prohibited to this class, did not correspond to the way of education of the Spartans and was therefore despised by them.

Most of the land of Laconia was at their disposal; it was cultivated for them by the helots. To own land plot, the Spartan had to fulfill two requirements: strictly follow all the rules of discipline and provide a certain part of the income for the sissity - the public table: barley flour, wine, cheese, etc.

Game was obtained by hunting in state forests; Moreover, everyone who made a sacrifice to the gods sent part of the carcass of the sacrificial animal to the sissitium. Violation or failure to comply with these rules (for any reason) resulted in loss of citizenship rights. All full-fledged citizens of ancient Sparta, young and old, had to participate in these dinners, while no one had any advantages or privileges.

The circle of perieki also included free people, but they were not full citizens of Sparta. The Perieci inhabited all the cities of Laconia, except Sparta, which belonged exclusively to the Spartans. They did not politically constitute an entire city-state, since they received control in their cities only from Sparta. The perieki of various cities were independent of each other, and at the same time, each of them was dependent on Sparta.

Helots made up the rural population of Laconia: they were slaves of those lands that they cultivated for the benefit of the Spartans and Perieci. Helots also lived in cities, but city ​​life was not typical for helots. They were allowed to have a house, a wife and a family; it was forbidden to sell helots outside their estates. Some scholars believe that the sale of helots was generally impossible, since they were the property of the state, and not of individuals. Some information has reached our times about the cruel treatment of the helots by the Spartans, although again some of the scientists believe that in this attitude there was more contempt.

Plutarch reports that every year (by virtue of the decrees of Lycurgus) the ephors solemnly declared war against the helots. Young Spartans, armed with daggers, walked throughout Laconia and exterminated the unfortunate helots. But over time, scientists found that this method of exterminating helots was legalized not during the time of Lycurgus, but only after the First Messenian War, when the helots became dangerous to the state.

Plutarch, the author of biographies of prominent Greeks and Romans, began his story about the life and laws of Lycurgus, warning the reader that nothing reliable could be reported about them. And yet he had no doubt that this politician was a historical figure.

Most modern scientists consider Lycurgus to be a legendary figure: the famous German historian of antiquity K.O. Muller was one of the first to doubt his historical existence back in the 1820s. He suggested that the so-called “laws of Lycurgus” are much older than their legislator, since they are not so much laws as ancient folk customs, rooted in the distant past of the Dorians and all other Hellenes.

Many scientists (U. Vilamowitz, E. Meyer and others) consider the biography of the Spartan legislator, preserved in several versions, as a late reworking of the myth of the ancient Laconian deity Lycurgus. Adherents of this trend questioned the very existence of “legislation” in ancient Sparta. Customs and rules that governed daily life E. Meyer classified the Spartans as “the everyday life of the Dorian tribal community,” from which classical Sparta grew almost without any changes.

But the results of archaeological excavations, which were carried out in 1906-1910 by an English archaeological expedition in Sparta, served as the reason for the partial rehabilitation of the ancient legend about the legislation of Lycurgus. The British explored the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia - one of the most ancient temples of Sparta - and discovered many works of art locally produced: wonderful examples of painted ceramics, unique terracotta masks (not found anywhere else), objects made of bronze, gold, amber and ivory.

These finds, for the most part, somehow did not fit with the ideas about the harsh and ascetic life of the Spartans, about the almost complete isolation of their city from the rest of the world. And then scientists suggested that the laws of Lycurgus in the 7th century BC. e. were not yet put into action and the economic and cultural development of Sparta proceeded in the same way as the development of other Greek states. Only towards the end of the 6th century BC. e. Sparta closes in on itself and turns into the city-state as ancient writers knew it.

Due to the threat of a revolt of the helots, the situation was then restless, and therefore the “initiators of reforms” could resort (as often happened in ancient times) to the authority of some hero or deity. In Sparta, Lycurgus was chosen for this role, who little by little began to turn from a deity into a historical legislator, although ideas about his divine origin persisted until the time of Herodotus.

Lycurgus had the opportunity to bring order to a cruel and outrageous people, therefore it was necessary to teach them to resist the onslaught of other states, and for this to make everyone skilled warriors. One of the first reforms of Lycurgus was the organization of governance of the Spartan community. Ancient writers claimed that he created a Council of Elders (gerusia) of 28 people. The elders (geronts) were elected by the apella - the people's assembly; The gerousia also included two kings, one of whose main duties was command of the army during the war.

From the descriptions of Pausanias we know that the period of the most intensive construction activity in the history of Sparta was the 6th century BC. e. At this time, the temple of Athena Copperhouse on the acropolis, the portico of Skiada, the so-called “throne of Apollo” and other buildings were erected in the city. But Thucydides, who saw Sparta in the last quarter of the 5th century BC. e., the city made the most bleak impression.

Against the background of the luxury and grandeur of Athenian architecture from the time of Pericles, Sparta already seemed like a nondescript provincial town. The Spartans themselves, not afraid of being considered old-fashioned, did not stop worshiping archaic stone and wooden idols at a time when Phidias, Myron, Praxiteles and other outstanding sculptors of Ancient Greece were creating their masterpieces in other Hellenic cities.

In the second half of the 6th century BC. e. there was a noticeable cooling of the Spartans towards Olympic Games. Before that, they took the most active part in them and accounted for more than half of the winners, in all major types of competitions. Subsequently, for the entire time from 548 to 480 BC. e., only one representative of Sparta, King Demaratus, won a victory and only in one type of competition - horse racing at the hippodrome.

To achieve harmony and peace in Sparta, Lycurgus decided to forever eradicate wealth and poverty in his state. He banned the use of gold and silver coins, which were used throughout Greece, and instead introduced iron money in the form of obols. They bought only what was produced in Sparta itself; In addition, they were so heavy that even a small amount had to be transported on a cart.

Lycurgus also prescribed a way of home life: all Spartans, from the common citizen to the king, had to live in exactly the same conditions. A special order indicated what kind of houses could be built, what clothes to wear: they had to be so simple that there was no room for any luxury. Even the food had to be the same for everyone.

Thus, in Sparta, wealth gradually lost all meaning, since it was impossible to use it: citizens began to think less about their own good, and more about the state. Nowhere in Sparta did poverty coexist with wealth; as a result, there was no envy, rivalry and other selfish passions that exhaust a person. There was no greed, which pits private benefit against public good and arms one citizen against another.

One of the Spartan youths, who purchased land for next to nothing, was put on trial. The accusation said that he was still very young, but was already seduced by profit, while self-interest is the enemy of every resident of Sparta.

Raising children was considered one of the main duties of a citizen in Sparta. The Spartan, who had three sons, was exempted from guard duty, and the father of five was exempted from all existing duties.

From the age of 7, the Spartan no longer belonged to his family: children were separated from their parents and began a social life. From that moment on, they were brought up in special detachments (agels), where they were supervised not only by their fellow citizens, but also by specially assigned censors. Children were taught to read and write, taught to remain silent for a long time, and to speak laconically - briefly and clearly.

Gymnastic and sports exercises were supposed to develop dexterity and strength in them; in order for there to be harmony in the movements, young men were obliged to participate in choral dances; hunting in the forests of Laconia developed patience for difficult trials. The children were fed rather poorly, so they made up for the lack of food not only by hunting, but also by stealing, since they were also accustomed to theft; however, if anyone was caught, they beat him mercilessly - not for theft, but for awkwardness.

Young men who reached the age of 16 were subjected to a very severe test at the altar of the goddess Artemis: they were severely flogged, but they had to remain silent. Even the smallest cry or groan contributed to the continuation of the punishment: some could not stand the test and died.

In Sparta there was a law according to which no one should be fatter than necessary. According to this law, all young men who had not yet achieved civil rights were shown to the ephors - members of the election commission. If the young men were strong and strong, then they were praised; young men whose bodies were considered too flabby and loose were beaten with sticks, since their appearance disgraced Sparta and its laws.

Plutarch and Xenophon wrote that Lycurgus legitimized that women should perform the same exercises as men, and thereby become strong and be able to give birth to strong and healthy offspring. Thus, Spartan women were worthy of their husbands, since they too were subject to a harsh upbringing.

The women of ancient Sparta, whose sons died, went to the battlefield and looked where they were wounded. If it was in the chest, then the women looked at those around them with pride and buried their children with honor in their father’s tombs. If they saw wounds on the back, then, sobbing with shame, they hurried to hide, leaving others to bury the dead.

Marriage in Sparta was also subject to the law: personal feelings had no meaning, because it was all a matter of state. Boys and girls could marry physiological development which corresponded to each other and from whom healthy children could be expected: marriage between persons of unequal complexions was not allowed.

But Aristotle speaks quite differently about the position of Spartan women: while the Spartans led a strict, almost ascetic life, their wives indulged in extraordinary luxury in their home. This circumstance forced men to get money often through dishonest means, because direct means were prohibited to them. Aristotle wrote that Lycurgus tried to subject Spartan women to the same strict discipline, but was met with decisive rebuff from them.

Left to their own devices, women became self-willed, indulged in luxury and licentiousness, they even began to interfere in state affairs, which ultimately led to a real gynecocracy in Sparta. “And what difference does it make,” Aristotle asks bitterly, “whether the women themselves rule or whether the leaders are under their authority?” The Spartans were blamed for the fact that they behaved boldly and impudently and allowed themselves to indulge in luxury, thereby challenging the strict norms of state discipline and morality.

To protect his legislation from foreign influence, Lycurgus limited Sparta's connections with foreigners. Without permission, which was given only in cases of special importance, the Spartan could not leave the city and go abroad. Foreigners were also prohibited from entering Sparta. The inhospitality of Sparta was the most famous phenomenon in ancient world.

The citizens of ancient Sparta were something like a military garrison, constantly training and always ready for war either with the helots or with an external enemy. The legislation of Lycurgus took on an exclusively military character also because those were times when there was no public and personal security, and generally all the principles on which state tranquility is based were absent. In addition, the Dorians, in very small numbers, settled in the country of the helots they had conquered and were surrounded by half-conquered or not at all conquered Achaeans, therefore they could only hold out through battles and victories.

Such a harsh upbringing, at first glance, could make the life of ancient Sparta very boring, and the people themselves unhappy. But from the writings of ancient Greek authors it is clear that such unusual laws made the Spartans the most prosperous people in the ancient world, because everywhere only competition in the acquisition of virtues reigned.

There was a prediction according to which Sparta would remain a strong and powerful state as long as it followed the laws of Lycurgus and remained indifferent to gold and silver. After the war with Athens, the Spartans brought money to their city, which seduced the inhabitants of Sparta and forced them to deviate from the laws of Lycurgus. And from that moment on, their valor began to gradually fade away...

Aristotle believes that it was the abnormal position of women in Spartan society that led to the fact that Sparta in the second half of the 4th century BC. e. terribly depopulated and lost its former military power.

Ancient Sparta was the main economic and military rival of Athens. The city-state and its surrounding territory were located on the Peloponnese peninsula, southwest of Athens. Administratively, Sparta (also called Lacedaemon) was the capital of the province of Laconia.

The adjective "Spartan" in modern world came from energetic warriors with an iron heart and steely endurance. The inhabitants of Sparta were famous not for their arts, science or architecture, but for their brave warriors, for whom the concepts of honor, courage and strength were placed above all else. Athens at that time, with its beautiful statues and temples, was a stronghold of poetry, philosophy and politics, and thereby dominated the intellectual life of Greece. However, such dominance had to end someday.

Raising children in Sparta

One of the principles that guided the inhabitants of Sparta was that the life of every person, from birth to death, belongs entirely to the state. The elders of the city were given the right to decide the fate of newborns - healthy and strong were left in the city, and weak or sick children were thrown into the nearest abyss. This is how the Spartans tried to secure physical superiority over their enemies. Children who went through “natural selection” were brought up under conditions of severe discipline. At the age of 7, boys were taken from their parents and raised separately, in small groups. The strongest and bravest young men eventually became captains. The boys slept in common rooms on hard and uncomfortable beds made of reeds. The young Spartans ate simple food - soup made from pork blood, meat and vinegar, lentils and other roughage.

One day, a rich guest who came to Sparta from Sybaris decided to try the “black soup”, after which he said that now he understands why Spartan warriors give up their lives so easily. Boys were often left hungry for several days, thereby inciting them to petty theft in the market. This was not done with the intention of making the young man a skilled thief, but only to develop ingenuity and dexterity - if he was caught stealing, he was severely punished. There are legends about one young Spartan who stole a young fox from the market, and when it was time for lunch, he hid it under his clothes. To prevent the boy from being caught stealing, he endured the pain of the fox gnawing his stomach and died without making a single sound. Over time, discipline only became stricter. All adult men, between the ages of 20 and 60, were required to serve in the Spartan army. They were allowed to marry, but even after that, the Spartans continued to sleep in barracks and eat in common canteens. Warriors were not allowed to own any property, especially gold and silver. Their money looked like iron rods of different sizes. Restraint extended not only to everyday life, food and clothing, but also to the speech of the Spartans. In conversation they were very laconic, limiting themselves to extremely concise and specific answers. This manner of communication in Ancient Greece was called “laconicism” after the area in which Sparta was located.

Life of the Spartans

In general, as in any other culture, issues of everyday life and nutrition shed light on interesting little things in people’s lives. The Spartans, unlike residents of other Greek cities, did not attach much importance to food. In their opinion, food should not be used to satisfy, but only to saturate a warrior before battle. The Spartans dined at a common table, and everyone handed over food for lunch in the same quantity - this is how the equality of all citizens was maintained. The neighbors at the table kept a watchful eye on each other, and if someone did not like the food, he was ridiculed and compared to the spoiled inhabitants of Athens. But when the time came for battle, the Spartans changed radically: they put on their best outfits, and marched towards death with songs and music. From birth, they were taught to perceive each day as their last, not to be afraid and not to retreat. Death in battle was desired and equated to the ideal end to the life of a real man. There were 3 classes of inhabitants in Laconia. The first, most revered, included residents of Sparta who had military training and participating in the political life of the city. Second class - perieki, or residents of surrounding small towns and villages. They were free, although they did not have any political rights. Engaged in trade and handicrafts, the perieki were a kind of “service personnel” for the Spartan army. Lower class - helots, were serfs, and not much different from slaves. Due to the fact that their marriages were not controlled by the state, the helots were the most numerous category of inhabitants, and were restrained from revolt only thanks to iron grip their owners.

Political life of Sparta

One of the peculiarities of Sparta was that the state was headed by two kings at the same time. They ruled together, serving as high priests and military leaders. Each of the kings controlled the activities of the other, which ensured the openness and fairness of government decisions. Subordinate to the kings was a "cabinet of ministers", consisting of five ethers or observers, who exercised general custody of laws and customs. Legislature consisted of a council of elders, which was headed by two kings. The most respected people were elected to the council people of Sparta who have overcome the 60-year age barrier. Army of Sparta, despite its relatively modest numbers, was well trained and disciplined. Each warrior was filled with determination to win or die - returning with a loss was unacceptable, and was an indelible shame for the rest of his life. Wives and mothers, sending their husbands and sons to war, solemnly presented them with a shield with the words: “Come back with a shield or on it.” Over time, the militant Spartans captured most of the Peloponnese, significantly expanding the boundaries of their possessions. A clash with Athens was inevitable. The rivalry reached its climax during the Peloponnesian War, and led to the fall of Athens. But the tyranny of the Spartans caused hatred among the inhabitants and mass uprisings, which led to the gradual liberalization of power. The number of specially trained warriors decreased, which allowed the inhabitants of Thebes, after about 30 years of Spartan oppression, to overthrow the power of the invaders.

History of Sparta interesting not only from the point of view of military achievements, but also factors of political and life structure. The courage, dedication and desire for victory of the Spartan warriors were the qualities that made it possible not only to restrain the constant attacks of enemies, but also to expand the boundaries of influence. The warriors of this small state easily defeated armies of thousands and were a clear threat to their enemies. Sparta and its inhabitants, brought up on the principles of restraint and the rule of force, were the antithesis of the educated and pampered rich life Athens, which ultimately led to the clash of these two civilizations.

About this city ancient civilization The Greeks are known more from the legends of Homer. He mentions this polis in his Illiad. However, archaeological excavations confirm the existence of a once powerful city-state on the territory of Greece. However, some sources refute these claims. It is officially known that Troy (Ilion) was a small settlement on the territory of Asia Minor. It is located on the coast Aegean Sea, on the Troad Peninsula. It was just a stone's throw from the Dardanelles Strait. Nowadays it is the Turkish province of Canakkale.

Rosary “Tears of the Virgin Mary” - a gift of salvation from Greece

How often do we evaluate our actions and look to the future by looking back at the past? According to statistics, every third inhabitant of the Earth, who has always condemned the cult of something, after a certain time, returns to spirituality. Atheists ask the Lord God for enlightenment, those who did not believe in holy attributes, over time began to understand that the healing power of faith helps to recover from illnesses and improves well-being.

Temple of Zeus

Zeus – Olympian god, the thunderstorm of all, the thunderer, to whom statues, bas-reliefs, temples are dedicated, this is one of the most wrathful Greek deities. It was in his honor that the largest temple throughout the country was erected. In ancient times, the Temple of Olympian Zeus was more majestic than the Parthenon itself. It was in it that once there were gilded ivory sculptures that emphasized the status of Zeus and his divine origin.

Themistocles

One of the most gifted political figures of Ancient Greece. Themistocles was the leader of the democratic party and one of the best generals on a pan-Greek scale. Thanks to his talents, making the right decisions and ability to correctly assess the situation, Themistocles managed to win a number of significant victories over the Persians, and also make a significant contribution to the transformation of Athens into the most powerful maritime and trading state in Greece.

The Spartan kings considered themselves Heraclides - descendants of the hero Hercules. Their bellicosity became a household word, and with good reason: the Spartans’ fighting formation was the direct predecessor of the phalanx of Alexander the Great.

The Spartans were very sensitive to signs and prophecies, and listened carefully to the opinion of the Delphic oracle. The cultural heritage of Sparta has not been assessed in the same detail as that of Athens, largely due to the warlike people's wariness of writing: for example, their laws were transmitted orally, and the names of the dead were forbidden to be written on non-military tombstones.

However, if not for Sparta, the culture of Greece could have been assimilated by foreigners who were constantly invading the territory of Hellas. The fact is that Sparta was actually the only city that not only had a combat-ready army, but whose entire life was subject to the strictest daily routine, designed to discipline the soldiers. The Spartans owed the emergence of such a militarized society to unique historical circumstances.

During the occupation, they did not subject the local population to death, but decided to subjugate them and make them slaves, who are known as helots - literally "captives". The creation of a colossal slave complex led to inevitable uprisings - already in the 7th century, the helots fought against their enslavers for several years, and this became a lesson for Sparta.

Their laws, created according to legend by the king-legislator named Lycurgus (translated as “working wolf”) back in the 9th century, served to strengthen the further internal political situation after the conquest of Messenia. The Spartans distributed the lands of the helots among all citizens, and all full-fledged citizens had hoplite weapons and formed the backbone of the army (about 9,000 people in the 7th century - 10 times more than in any other Greek city). The strengthening of the army, perhaps provoked by fear of subsequent slave uprisings, contributed to the extraordinary rise of the influence of the Spartans in the region and the formation of a special system of life, characteristic only of Sparta.

For optimal training, boy warriors from the age of seven were sent to centralized government structures for education, and until the age of eighteen they spent time in intensive training. This was also a kind of initiation stage: in order to become a full-fledged citizen, it was necessary not only to successfully complete all the years of training, but also, as proof of one’s fearlessness, to kill a helot with a dagger alone. It is not surprising that the helots constantly had reasons for new uprisings. The widespread legend about the execution of handicapped Spartan boys or even babies most likely has no real historical basis: in the polis there was even a certain social stratum of “hypomeions”, that is, physically or mentally handicapped “citizens”.