Consider what is said about Sparta’s conquered ‘helots’ (essentially slaves), and the militarization of its society. What distinguishes it from Athens?
This is the text: Like other Greek city-states, Sparta needed more land. Instead of starting new colonies, as some states did, the Spartans conquered
the neighboring Laconians. Later, beginning around 730 B.C., the Spartans undertook the conquest of neighboring Messenia despite its
larger size and population.
After their conquest, the Messenians and Laconians became serfs and were made to work for the Spartans. These captured people
were known as helots, a name derived from a Greek word for “capture.” To ensure control over the conquered helots, the Spartans
made a conscious decision to create a military state.
Between 800 B.C. and 600 B.C., the lives of Spartans were rigidly organized and tightly controlled—thus, our word spartan, meaning
“highly self-disciplined.” Males spent their childhood learning military discipline. Then they enrolled in the army for regular military
service at age 20.
Although allowed to marry, Spartan males continued to live in the military barracks until age 30. All meals were eaten in public dining
halls with fellow soldiers. Meals were simple: the famous Spartan black broth consisted of a piece of pork boiled in animal blood, salt,
and vinegar. A visitor who ate some of the black broth once remarked that he now understood why Spartans were not afraid to die. At
30, Spartan males were allowed to vote in the assembly (discussed later). They could live at home, but they stayed in the army until the
age of 60.
While their husbands lived in the barracks, Spartan women lived at home. Because of this separation, Spartan women had greater
freedom of movement and greater power in the household than was common elsewhere in Greece. Spartan women were expected to
remain fit to bear and raise healthy children. Many Spartan women upheld the strict Spartan values, expecting their husbands and sons
to be brave in war. The story is told of a Spartan mother who, as she handed her son his shield, told him to come back carrying his
shield or being carried on it. In other words, he was not to drop his shield in retreat but to be victorious or to die bravely.
The Spartan government was an oligarchy headed by two kings, who led the Spartan army on its campaigns. A group of five men,
known as the ephors (EH • fuhrs), were elected each year and were responsible for the education of youth and the conduct of all
citizens. A council of elders, composed of the two kings and 28 citizens over the age of 60, decided on the issues that would be
presented to an assembly made of male citizens. This assembly did not debate; it only voted on the issues.
To make their new military state secure, the Spartans turned their backs on the outside world. Foreigners, who might have brought in
new ideas, were discouraged from visiting. Except for military reasons, Spartans were not allowed to travel abroad, where they might
encounter ideas dangerous to the stability of the state. Likewise, Spartan citizens were discouraged from studying philosophy, literature,
or the arts. The art of war was the Spartan ideal. All other arts were frowned upon.