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Ancient Sparta | Government, Religion, and History
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Ancient Sparta | Government, Religion, and History
Ancient Sparta
Ancient Greece is revered in Western history as the birthplace of democracy, art, and culture. Instead of being one governmental entity, Grecian urban centers were organized into individual city-states which were ruled independently of each other. However, city-states would take advantage of their close ties and would support each other militarily and politically (that is, when they were not fighting amongst themselves.)
Sparta, the city-state of Sparta, was known for being a military powerhouse and was remembered for its democratic leadership. Sparta took control of the surrounding area in the 8th century BCE and created an urban center that would be revered by later empires like Rome. Thebans conquered the ancient city-state in 372 BC. Spartan culture, key figures, religion, and traditions will be covered in the lesson.
Spartan Gods & Goddesses
As in many Greek communities and city-states, Spartan culture included the worship of many gods and goddesses. This was common practice across Greece due to fear that if gods or goddesses were overlooked, they might retaliate fiercely, and the fact that the plethora of gods and goddesses had disparate functions and specialties (god of the sea, goddess of war, et cetera). Here are some of the gods and goddesses worshiped by the Spartans, along with what their worship reveals about Sparta:
- Artemis Orthia was worshiped at her temple sanctuary. She was the birth goddess, which points to Spartan recognition of the female role in society and in sustaining life.
- Poseidon was an important figure of worship because he was recognized in Greek mythology as the bringer of earthquakes. Sparta was ringed by mountains and not far from the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, both of which held real concern for the people of Sparta.
- Apollo was worshiped due to his military prowess and the fact that he was known as a light bringer and preserver of life.
Several other gods and goddesses were worshiped as well, including Aphrodite, the Dioscuri (i.e., Castor and Pollux, the Gemini twins), and Athena. Aphrodite was important due to her role in marriage and sexual fertility. Athena was obviously important as the goddess of war, who could grant conquest and assist the Spartans in battle. Castor and Pollux, known as the Dioscuri, were sometimes both identified as demigods, although Pollux was known to be the son of Zeus by Leda and Castor was the son of Leda and Tyndareus, the king of Sparta. The Spartan connection through Tyndareus was the closest tie to the Dioscuri. However, they were also known for their prowess in war as they fought with Jason and the Argonauts on the famous adventure to find the Golden Fleece.
Most devotees offered prayers, sacrifices, libations (drink offerings), and gifts to these various deities, asking for protection, success, and honorable death in the face of certain defeat. Spartans never backed down, so faith and honor were mainstays in their philosophy of life. One unusual feature of Spartan religion was the worship of the spirits of Laughter and Fear. The worship of Fear specifically was likely due to the Spartan fear of dishonor, for to die in a cowardly or dishonorable way was not only an embarrassment to Sparta but an affront to the gods.
Various religious festivals were celebrated by the Spartans. The hottest part of the year was in July, when Gymnopahedia was held. The Gymnopaedia was a festival where young soldiers were given a presentation to Apollo. A complex festival dedicated to Apollo was the most important Spartan festival. It was named in honor of a past lover of Apollo, and praised Apollo for life and light. Prayers and requests for life, prosperity, and conquest are also made to Apollo.
Spartan Culture
Citizenship in Ancient Sparta
Ancient Sparta had four primary social categories. At the top were Spartan citizens, then the neodamodeis (people who were formerly enslaved but have since been liberated). Next in the social hierarchy came a class called the perioikoi, or conquered people. This class would not be able to purchase land and was often forced to serve in the Spartan army. The lowest class of people in ancient Sparta were the helots. Helots were people who had been enslaved and were the main agricultural workers of the region.
Gender Roles in Ancient Sparta
Female citizens of ancient Sparta were more free than their male counterparts in other Greek cities.
Women in ancient Sparta were able to move about freely, own their own property, compete in athletic events, and drink wine as long as they were citizens. The role of gender became less important below the citizenship level.
Government in Ancient Sparta
The government of ancient Sparta is not easy to understand. Sparta was ruled by two hereditary kings. The two kings were priests of Zeus and held seats on the council of elders, even though they didn’t have absolute power. The ancient city-state was also governed by a council of 28 elders called the gerousia. The highest place in Sparta’s government was held by this council and it was used to facilitate votes among Spartan citizens. Most of the voting process was shouting.
Education and Values in Ancient Sparta
Sparta’s educational system was based on military strength. When a baby was born, he was examined by the council of elders, and if they found a problem, they would kill him. Sparta’s focus on military power caused this harsh approach. Boys were separated from the rest of society at the age of 7 in order to learn the values of honor and honor. The code of honor of the Spartans was very high. The most honorable way to die for a Spartan warrior was in battle. This act violated the law of no surrender and a warrior that turned away from the battle would be killed.
Spartan Warriors
Spartan warriors were revered in the city state. The young boy was thrown into a group of others his age and then trained by the young men of Sparta. They would sleep in the open and endure countless battle simulations and other trials that were designed to turn them into the strongest warriors possible. Some soldiers formed homosexual relationships with one another. The younger soldiers were shamed if they weren’t courted by the older youth. The cohesiveness of the unit was believed to be strengthened by these relationships.
Spartan Gods
Spartans believed in many gods that could help them in battle. There were gods worshiped in different ways. Apollo and Artemis Orthia had particular esteem.
- Apollo: Apollo was the god of light, music, and archery, among other things. He was beloved by Spartans because he was skilled in war. The Spartans deemed religion as such a core value that it was held above military duties. During festivals for Apollo, men would lay down their arms until the festival was over. One of the most important Spartan festivals calledHyakinthia, named for Apollo’s lover, was a festival where worshippers would appeal to Apollo for life and victory in battle.
- Artemis Orthia- Spartans would worship this goddess in her temple in Sparta and appeal to her for matters of fertility and birth.
Greek Mythology
The city-state of Sparta was named for the wife of Zeus, according to myth. King Menelaus and the Spartans played a large role in the battle of Homer’s Iliad.
Spartan Religion
Sparta had high esteem for religion. During the battle of Marathon, Spartans did not come to the aid of Athenians because the festival of Apollo was more important to them.
Spartan Burial Practices
Warriors used to worship fear. This is a militaristic strategy from Sparta. Fear and honor were closely related to each other in ancient Sparta because of the prevalence of these values in battle. The soldiers killed in battle would be buried. Spartans who weren’t buried would be cremated.
Lesson Summary
Sparta was a military power in ancient Greece. The Spartans devoted themselves completely to the law of no surrender because of militant might. Military duties would be set aside for religious purposes, even though it was a key value. The temple of Artemis Orthia, the goddess of Apollo, was considered sacred due to the significant events of the festival. Future powers like the Roman Empire were inspired by Spartan culture.
Death of a Spartan
In the Spartan warrior culture, death in battle was not uncommon. The most honorable way for a Spartan soldier to leave this plane of existence was to die in a battle. If a Spartan turned his back on his duty, he would be executed. It was considered the most embarrassing end for a Spartan.
The final commitment of the Spartan was to the gods. Most Spartan soldiers who died were buried on the battlefield as Spartan society was more interested in wartime efficiency than sentimental gestures. Most Spartan grave markers have been found on battlefields rather than in Spartan cities.
Another feature of Spartan burial was that only fallen soldiers of honor and women who died in some honorable manner or office (some scholars interpret this as dying in childbirth, while others extend it to include important priestesses or other officiants), were permitted to be honored with a headstone. Some were plain markers, while others were engraved with the name of the honoree.
The markers were usually reserved for those who were accorded the greatest honor. For example, an engraved marker was placed at the site of the battle between Sparta and the Persian army to honor those who fought there. The statement was engraved with the words ‘’Go tell the Spartans, passerby, That here, obedient to their laws, we lie’’ Some of the Spartans who died were not buried. There seems to have been no special ceremony given to them.
Lesson Summary
Okay, let’s now take a moment or two to review. As we learned, Spartan religion was closely connected to its people’s philosophy of honor and death in battle or in other honorable pursuits. Through living a life of service and honor to Sparta and the gods and goddesses attached to the Spartan Empire, including Poseidon, Apollo, Athena, and Aphrodite, as well as deities of local importance like Artemis Orthia, the Dioscuri (i.e., Castor and Pollux), and the spirits of Laughter and Fear, Spartans were assured of honor in life and death.
Gymnopaedia was a festival that was used to introduce young soldiers to their gods, and was followed by a presentation to Apollo, which was a festival dedicated to the worship of Apollo.
Spartans who were faithful to death were given military burials with solemn rites, such as prayers to the gods for safe passage into death, and a marker to show them remembrance The epitome of what a Spartan was born to be was the Spartan who obeyed the law.
Spartan Gods & Goddesses
As in many Greek communities and city-states, Spartan culture included the worship of many gods and goddesses. This was common practice across Greece due to fear that if gods or goddesses were overlooked, they might retaliate fiercely, and the fact that the plethora of gods and goddesses had disparate functions and specialties (god of the sea, goddess of war, et cetera). Here are some of the gods and goddesses worshiped by the Spartans, along with what their worship reveals about Sparta:
- Artemis Orthia was worshiped at her temple sanctuary. She was the birth goddess, which points to Spartan recognition of the female role in society and in sustaining life.
- Poseidon was an important figure of worship because he was recognized in Greek mythology as the bringer of earthquakes. Sparta was ringed by mountains and not far from the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, both of which held real concern for the people of Sparta.
- Apollo was worshiped due to his military prowess and the fact that he was known as a light bringer and preserver of life.
Several other gods and goddesses were worshiped as well, including Aphrodite, the Dioscuri (i.e., Castor and Pollux, the Gemini twins), and Athena. Aphrodite was important due to her role in marriage and sexual fertility. Athena was obviously important as the goddess of war, who could grant conquest and assist the Spartans in battle. Castor and Pollux, known as the Dioscuri, were sometimes both identified as demigods, although Pollux was known to be the son of Zeus by Leda and Castor was the son of Leda and Tyndareus, the king of Sparta. The Spartan connection through Tyndareus was the closest tie to the Dioscuri. However, they were also known for their prowess in war as they fought with Jason and the Argonauts on the famous adventure to find the Golden Fleece.
Most devotees offered prayers, sacrifices, libations (drink offerings), and gifts to these various deities, asking for protection, success, and honorable death in the face of certain defeat. Spartans never backed down, so faith and honor were mainstays in their philosophy of life. One unusual feature of Spartan religion was the worship of the spirits of Laughter and Fear. The worship of Fear specifically was likely due to the Spartan fear of dishonor, for to die in a cowardly or dishonorable way was not only an embarrassment to Sparta but an affront to the gods.
Various religious festivals were celebrated by the Spartans. The hottest part of the year was in July, when Gymnopahedia was held. The Gymnopaedia was a festival where young soldiers were given a presentation to Apollo. A complex festival dedicated to Apollo was the most important Spartan festival. It was named in honor of a past lover of Apollo, and praised Apollo for life and light. Prayers and requests for life, prosperity, and conquest are also made to Apollo.
Death of a Spartan
In the Spartan warrior culture, death in battle was not uncommon. The most honorable way for a Spartan soldier to leave this plane of existence was to die in a battle. If a Spartan turned his back on his duty, he would be executed. It was considered the most embarrassing end for a Spartan.
The final commitment of the Spartan was to the gods. Most Spartan soldiers who died were buried on the battlefield as Spartan society was more interested in wartime efficiency than sentimental gestures. Most Spartan grave markers have been found on battlefields rather than in Spartan cities.
Another feature of Spartan burial was that only fallen soldiers of honor and women who died in some honorable manner or office (some scholars interpret this as dying in childbirth, while others extend it to include important priestesses or other officiants), were permitted to be honored with a headstone. Some were plain markers, while others were engraved with the name of the honoree.
The markers were usually reserved for those who were accorded the greatest honor. For example, an engraved marker was placed at the site of the battle between Sparta and the Persian army to honor those who fought there. The statement was engraved with the words ‘’Go tell the Spartans, passerby, That here, obedient to their laws, we lie’’ Some of the Spartans who died were not buried. There seems to have been no special ceremony given to them.
Lesson Summary
Okay, let’s now take a moment or two to review. As we learned, Spartan religion was closely connected to its people’s philosophy of honor and death in battle or in other honorable pursuits. Through living a life of service and honor to Sparta and the gods and goddesses attached to the Spartan Empire, including Poseidon, Apollo, Athena, and Aphrodite, as well as deities of local importance like Artemis Orthia, the Dioscuri (i.e., Castor and Pollux), and the spirits of Laughter and Fear, Spartans were assured of honor in life and death.
Gymnopaedia was a festival that was used to introduce young soldiers to their gods, and was followed by a presentation to Apollo, which was a festival dedicated to the worship of Apollo.
Spartans who were faithful to death were given military burials with solemn rites, such as prayers to the gods for safe passage into death, and a marker to show them remembrance The epitome of what a Spartan was born to be was the Spartan who obeyed the law.
Did Spartans believe in Greek gods?
The Ancient Spartans had a temple for Artemis Orthia, a goddess of fertility, and worshiped many different Greek gods.
When did ancient Sparta start and end?
Sparta probably was settled by the 10th century BCE. The urban center was in control of the region by the 8th century. The state of the city-state fell.
Why was religion important to Sparta?
Apollo and Artemis Orthia were the most sacred of the Greek gods of Mount Olympus.
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