Ella
9/20/19
History 9
Spartan Government and Citizenship Notes
1. Military:
o All citizens = soldiers
o Military controlled the large population of slaves (Helots)
- Slaves captured during Spartan conquest of Peloponnese
2. Government:
o Government = 2 kings- equal
o Of aristocratic family and descended from Heracles
o Greousia: council (28 aristocratic elders) advised kings, handled
legislation and trials
o Assembly: Group of citizens voted on policies presented by ^ but could not
propose own ideas
- Annually elected 5 magistrates (ephors) – head of assembly meetings,
decided punishments, brought fellow government peoples to trial,
received ambassadors
3. Spartan Citizens:
o Spartiates = adult males with spartan ancestry
o All citizens were equal
o Perioikoi = free non-citizens
o The large part of the population was Helots - not citizens or perioikoi