Explain the view of ancient Greek writers on Sparta using relevant
sources.
Ancient Greek writers view of Sparta was as varied as the myths and
legends of this unique somewhat perverted society, which reached its
peak of power in the fifth century. These views and opinions had for
centuries formed the basis of all modern thought and thus opinion of
Sparta however this is changing. Two of the most common and welldocumented sources regarding Sparta are the works of Plutarch and
Aristotle. The myriad of views from these Greek writers is due to the
historical context in which they wrote, the time frame and their
exposure to Spartan society.
To begin with Plutarch on the surface of his works complied in the
book ‘’Plutarch on Sparta’’ lacks any form or style of objectivity since
he is full of praise of Sparta’s mythical lawgiver Lycurgus describing
him as ‘‘a man of boundless wisdom a statesman of the highest
quality’’. It is interesting to note that despite his obvious love for
Lycurgus even Plutarch acknowledges that no definite date can be
given for the Lycurgus period thus casting doubt of his existence. Yet
Plutarch is not entirely full of praise of Sparta as some other writer’s
such as Xenophon who will be mentioned later. Plutarch chose to
criticise certain Spartan leaders such as Agesilaus the second who is
credits with breaking Lycurgus’s third rhetra of not to engage the
same enemy too often should they learn from their mistakes, this
breaking of the third rhetra is linked to Sparta’s final downfall after it
invaded Thebes repeatedly.
Apart from this Plutarch seeks to justify all actions and policies put
forward in Sparta originating of course with the magnificent
Lycurgus. The killing of apparently unhealthy babies is justified ‘’It
was after all better for the state and even the child that it be disposed
of properly’’.
As mentioned above the second major source regarding Sparta is the
famous Greek philosopher Aristotle writing shortly after the downfall
of the Spartan state. Aristotle stands on the complete opposite end of
what can be called the Spartan Spectrum as mentioned for Plutarch
there is an unbreakable bond between state and lawgiver seeing the
two as one, for Aristotle however Sparta is case study of the
consequences of a society that emancipated women and placed them
in such high places that they couldn’t possibly handle and which
either way corrupted society. The problem as Aristotle saw it began
with the Spartan policy of allowing women to own and run property
should their husbands be absent, this as Aristotle saw it created total
imbalance as women were not meant to run property this also had a
sexual side as Aristotle saw it women running property lead to them
having supreme authority over helot men whom they used for their
own personal pleasure leading to the creation of a ‘’Bastard
generation’’. In certain respects Aristotles writings are mostly useful
only due to their close date after Sparta’s downfall thus giving the
reader a source from the time, yet modern historian Paul Cartldege
states ‘’Yet in regards to actual usefulness this is minimal’’ of course
due to the fact that much of Aristotle’s works on Sparta is mere
rambling of a misogynist who himself was struggling with his own
perverted sexual habits.
Another ancient writer with views on Sparta is one who predates
both Plutarch and Aristotle his name was Herodotus. Herodotus
known, as the father of history was the first person to document
Spartan society, he also had the privilege of doing it during a
momentous moment in it’s history for Herodotus was writing about
Sparta during the Persian wars from 495 to 479. His documentation
of ‘’world’’ history is useful mostly due to the context of his writing’s
having being written during the wars, which threatened the very
survival of the Spartan state a time when Spartan military fanaticism
was at an all time high and heroism on full display as Herodotus
states ‘’ fighting in their phalanx formation they were the finest
soldiers in the world a true force to be reckoned with’’. Despite the
context of his writtings which unlike some other writers chiefly
Plutarch which were written centuries afterwards Herodotus’s views
are also subject to criticism for example being a Greek himself
inclines one to suppose that he will naturally favour the defenders of
Greek culture over the no doubt ‘’Savage’’ Persian invaders.
Furthermore many of his stories and accounts from battle are riddled
with fantasy stories of flying dragons and giant moths leading to
many simply calling Herodotus by his other famous name the father
of lies.
A final famous Greek writer on Sparta was the famed traveller
Pausanias the geographer. Writing during the time of the so called
five good emperors of Rome, Pausanias’s writtings while not having
such a good contextual privilege when compared with Aristotle and
Herodotus is no less important due to the fact that his writtings
contradicted the works of many other Greek writers chiefly Plutarch
who time and time again places great emphasise on the modesty of
Spartan architecture this view of course penetrated the modern view
of Sparta as being a society which deliberately turned it’s back on the
intellectual and cultural life of ancient Greece. Pausanias presents to
his audience a view of Sparta as a place where there existed many
beautiful marble building’s made from material which could have
only come from ancient Persia suggesting trade between the two
states. He also describes in detail beautiful paintings and richly
decorated houses and temples, this of course then cast doubt on the
account of Plutarch where he describes Sparta as a modest state
which placed all it’s emphasis on military and physical perfection and
not on marvellous polis’s with richly decorated building’s houses and
temple’s alike.
In conclusion the views of ancient Greek writers view of Sparta is
varied and is so due to the fact that writers were writing several
centuries apart at times leading sometimes to contradictory accounts
and have been ammunition for numerous history wars between
historian’s which have occurred for centuries and will without a
grain of doubt continue to occur well into the future.