One of the most powerful city-states of Ancient Greece is Sparta. The only one that was not defeated during the time of the unification wars by Philip II and his son Alexander of Macedon (IV century BC). Historians described how Ancient Sparta resembled a military camp and why the glory of the city’s warriors survived centuries. This was told by the wonderful film of Zack Snyder "300 Spartans."
A bit of history
In southern Greece, several settlements living on the banks of the Eurdt River came together, calling themselves Sparta. Over time, they first subjugated the whole of Laconia, and then the fertile Messenia, forcing the locals to work for themselves. They turned them into half-slaves and called them helots - “captured”. Nearby Athens condemned the inhabitants of the city for enslaving the Greek tribesmen. Each Spartan had a plot of land, but the helots lived and worked on them, growing olives, grain, vegetables and other products. They could not leave their settlements and gave part of the harvest to the owners of the plots. Despite the fact that helots made up a large part of the population, the townspeople managed to keep them subordinate, causing a logical question: what?
Sparta resembled a military camp, where the main occupation of local residents was military affairs, and the main honor was to die in battle. Sources say that after the battles, women were the first to enter the battlefield. They were looking for their loved ones, sons and husbands. It was important for them where the warrior’s corpse lay face. If he was fixed on the enemy and the nature of the injury indicated that the Spartan fought to the last, he was taken away and interred with honors. And if the nature of the injuries indicated that the warrior was at a loss, he was left on the battlefield to be buried in a common grave. Next, we dwell in more detail on what Sparta resembled a military camp.
What measures formed the military spirit
It all started from birth. Sparta needed real warriors, so the following was proclaimed the main principle of education: each child does not belong to the family, but to the state. A newly minted father was required to take the newborn to the elders. The Council included residents over 60 years old, participating in meetings until their death hour. They made a decision whether the baby was strong enough to become a true defender of the state in the future. If their decision was positive, the son would return to his parents. If not, a terrible fate awaited the baby - he was thrown into the abyss.
At seven years old, the sons were taken away from the family, giving the education that was considered necessary. The boys lived in detachments led by the most smart and brave of them. Orders were binding on everyone whose fate was only to endure punishment. The detached Spartans supervised the detachments, and the old elders looked after, trying to cause as many conflicts as possible. What did Sparta resemble a military camp? Yes, the fact that the male population, starting in childhood, was separated from the family, spending time in constant training and deprivation. Conflicts were needed in order to observe the behavior of the guys, whether they are brave and persistent enough. And the deprivation made us get used to enduring the inconvenience of the camp life. The boys walked half-naked until the age of 12, slept on bedding made of straw, constantly improving in physical fitness.
Challenges to the Warrior Rank
The most cruel entertainment permitted to teenage Spartans was called "cryptias." Boys could raid the villages of Helots. They were engaged in robbery, slaughtered cattle and even could take the lives of the most powerful of men. It was considered a matter of honor. At the age of 17, the young men returned home, but before that they passed the test, which cost a lot of health, and sometimes life. They had to get to the temple of Artemis, located in the mountains. Having overcome the hard way, they went through the ritual of “sacrifice”.
The priests hung the young men over a special bowl and whipped the rods to the blood. The main requirement was patience and the ability to endure pain without a single sound. If the young Spartan screamed, they beat him until he lost consciousness. Is this not an indicator of what Sparta resembled a military camp. What measures did the formation of the best infantry of Ancient Greece achieve? A system of education where full citizens had no choice what to be. Any manual labor was despised, trade and craft were prohibited. A real Spartan had to be a warrior.
Concise speech
In the process of training, young men were forced to briefly express their thoughts. They were not required to analyze and reflect. The name of the province where the Spartans lived, even formed the expression - "laconic speech." This is another illustration of what Sparta resembled a military camp. Citizens were forbidden to travel to foreign lands, travelers rarely wandered to them, and they did not conduct trade. Therefore, the legend of the unique brevity of speech that characterizes the Spartans has been preserved in history. A foreign king sent an envoy to intimidate the locals. He promised that if he conquered southern Greece, Sparta would cease to exist as a state. To which he received the answer: “If!”
The city never even rebuilt the walls, its main defense was military men. They were always ready. Men were not allowed to dine at home. They ate in groups of 10-15 people. Their table was simple but nutritious: vegetables, simple stews, occasionally cheese and meat. Compliance with these rules was monitored by the Council of Elders. The violator could be fined if he was the commander himself.
Briefly: how did Sparta resemble a military camp
Summing up, the main thing should be highlighted:
- Full citizens were trained exclusively for military service. The girls did not go through the training system, like the boys, but they were also trained in the use of weapons and introduced to the sport. It was impossible to abandon the intended path.
- Parenting did not depend on the will of the parents. The state determined what citizens it wants to see. He needed physically strong, brave warriors who did not reflect on the meaning of life. The whole educational system was directed at this, in which the child was withdrawn from the family.
- What Sparta resembled a military camp was constant readiness for military operations, regular exercises in gymnastics and development of skills in the fight against helots. The Athenians considered the neighbors ignoramuses, but those accompanied by the flute learned the heroic songs with which they were preparing to go into battle.
The heroism of the inhabitants of Sparta was glorified in art. In the film "300 Spartans", the soldiers stopped the advance of the powerful army of the King of Persia. This is just a legend, but who knows ...