Greece - Spartan Society to the Battle of Leuctra 371bc

Option I Greece: Spartan society to the Battle of Leuctra 371 BC

Principal Focus:

371 BC, through a range of archaeological and written sources and relevant historiographical

issues.

The investigation of key features of Spartan society to the Battle of Leuctra

Students learn about:

1 The geographical setting

– the geographical setting, natural features and resources of ancient Sparta

– significant sites: Sparta

2 Social structure and political organisation

– the issue of Lycurgus (the Great Rhetra)

– roles and privileges of the two kings

– government:

ephorate, gerousia, ekklesia

– social structure: Spartiates,

– role of the Spartan army

– control of the helots: the military,

perioeci, ‘inferiors’, helotssyssitia, krypteia

– artisans, helots

– educational system:

agoge

– role and status of women: land ownership, inheritance, education

3 The economy

– land ownership: agriculture,

– technology: weapons, armour, pottery

– economic roles of the

– economic exchange: use of iron bars, trade

kleroi, helotsperiokoi (‘dwellers around’) and helots

4 Religion, death and burial

– gods and goddesses: Artemis Orthia, Poseidon, Apollo

– myths and legends: Lycurgus and the Dioscuri

– festivals:

Hyakinthia, Gymnopaedia, Karneia

– religious role of the kings

– funerary customs and rituals

5 Cultural life

– art: sculpture, painted vases, bone and ivory carving

– architecture: Amyklaion, Menelaion, the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia

– writing and literature: Alcman and Tyrtaeus

– Greek writers’ views of Sparta: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Aristotle,

Pausanias, Plutarch

6 Everyday life

– daily life and leisure activities

– food and clothing

– marriage customs

– occupations.