Cultural Life
-
-
CHANGES: Spartan cultural life underwent significant change over the centuries corresponding
to political changes in the Spartan state
RICH CULTURAL LIFE  DECLINED: Sparta enjoyed a rich cultural life in the 7th to 6th centuries
BC but this gradually declined into the 5th century BC

especially after Messinian wars
EARLY SPARTA: had a lively culture and produced fine
painted pottery, beautifully carved ivories, magnificent
bronzes and everyday items of value and beauty
Art
Sculpture
- SHRINES: many examples of sculpture can be found at the shrines of the Spartans, such
as the Amyklaion and the Sanctuary of Athena
Bronze Statue of
Soldier
- BRONZE SCULPTURES: surviving bronzes in Sparta tend to be small figurines massive
bronze vessels have also been found in Europe they generally contained mythology and
military motifs:




-
Bronze Statue of Soldier: around 500BC
LEAD FIGURINES: an interesting find at Orthia, was 100,000 lead votive reliefs  these
figurines are only 2.5-8cm high and were cast in shallow lead moulds that produced
many at a time


-
Statue of Zeus: bronze statue of Zeus on a bronze base 5.5 metres high from the 6th century
Vix Krater: is from the 6th century and was used for mixing water and wine  the relief depicts hoplites
with armour and shields
Spartan Girl: A bronze statuette of a Spartan running girl. The maiden is running the foot-race of Heraea
 from around 520BC
Bronze Statue
Spartan Girl
Mass Produced: it is believed they were mass produced by a factory workshop near the temple
Subjects: the subjects for these varied, the most common being sphinxes, the winged goddess orthia,
animals such as lions and horses and armed foot soldiers
MARBLE BUST: a marble bust of a helmeted hoplite, found on the acropolis at Sparta,
said to be Leonardis the defender of Thermopylae
Painted Vases
- LACONIAN POTTERY: are valued for the richness of their decoration and
their technical achievement in the 7th and 6th centuries BC the main styles include:

Marble Bust of
Leonardis
First Style (Geometric): Occasionally animal or human figures are depicted but they are always part
of a larger decorative scheme.
Arkesilias Cup


Second Style: is characterised by the predominance of friezes, decorative bands, made of animals or
birds, or a decorative patterning made of fish and dolphins
Third Style: is characterised by a scene or narrative story taken from life of mythology  important
for historians as they show aspects of life including, hunting, riding, fighting and religious worship
-
EXPORTED: was exported throughout the Mediterranean and has been found
throughout Greece, Italy , France and Egypt
MAIN EXAMPLES: of painted vases/pottery include:


Arkesilias Cup: Arkesilaos, king of Cyrene in North Africa, supervises the weighting of merchandise.
Spartan cup of mid sixth century BC.
Laconian Cup (Pegasus): Bellerophon and Pegasos killing the Chimaera  570BC-565BC

Laconian Cup (Hunting): hunters killing a boar 555BC
Bone & Ivory Carving
- IMMIGRANT CRAFTSMEN: it is believed that immigrant craftsmen
brought the skill of carving in bone or ivory to Sparta from north
Syria  believed they worked over 3 generations
- IMPORTED: ivory was imported into Sparta
- SUBJECTS: the most popular subjects were small statues of
-
Laconian Cup: Pegasus
Laconian Cup hunting
Three Plaque carvings
crouching animals on a decorated rectangular base  they are
believed to have some religious meaning
ARTEMIS ORTHIA: there were over 200 ivory carvings at Orthia 
some items included:



Three carving plaques: on ivory bones 600BC  two Spartan warriors/woman in mourning
Ship: the figure of Artemis orthia welcoming soldiers home in a ship
Aristatos: an ivory plaque showing Aristalos
Aristatos
Ship
Architecture
-
LACK OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS: the town lacked major public buildings and temples found in
Athens  the town itself resembled little more than a group of rural villages
INFLUENCES: details of buildings from the 6th century BC suggest that Sparta was in contact with
trends from earlier parts of Greece  Ionian influence can be seen in some architectural
features such as column capitals
Amyklaion (Apollo)
- AMYKLAION TEMPLE: being built in the 6th century, it was the most important temple in
Lacedaemon it was a shrine dedicated to Apollo and Hyakinthos




-
Throne for Apollo (function): it’s primary function was a throne to Apollo as
excavations convey
Statue: the building housed a huge bronze statue of Apollo
Colonnades: the temple was surrounded by colonnades and stoas
Lotus carvings: there were carvings of lotus flowers and other sculptures
IONIC STYLE: Designed by Bathykles in the Ionic style.
RESOURCES/EXPENSE: Sparta spent many resources and expense
building the throne, indicating the piety in which they held this god
Menelaion (Helen and Menelaus)
- MENELAION: this was a shrine 5km north east of Sparta which dated back to
c.700BC  it was dedicated to Helen and Menelaus and overlooks mount
Taygetus and the Eurotas river


-
Step pyramid Structure: it had a square step-pyramidal structure in the style of a hero shrine
Terracotta Tiles: a pedimental roof with terracotta tiling
CULT OBJECTS: cult objects have been found onsite that suggest the peak of the
hill was a place or worship
The Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia
- ARTEMIS ORTHIA: the temple dedicated to the goddess dates back to the 6th
century (c.700BC) and was situated close to the Eurotas river



-
Foundations: it has the foundations of an archaic temple and measures 17x60m
Altars: the remains of successive altars have been found the earliest dating back to the 9th
century
Smaller Finds: excavations have also uncovered smaller finds e.g. terracottas, ivory carvings ,
bronze carvings, bronze, lead figurines
REPAIRS: it shows signs of repairs and alterations as late as the 3rd century BC
(Roman times)
ANNUAL FESTIVAL: Was the site of a festival held in Artemis Orthia’s honour.
Writing & Literature
-
ORAL TRADITIONS: Sparta was a society with strong oral traditions  its history was recorded
in songs and epic poems
MUSIC & POETRY: were an important part of Sparta’s education  the syssition provided an
ideal environment for the retelling of stories
FRAGMENTS OF POEMS: most surviving written sources of Sparta were produced by nonSpartans however fragments of the poems of Tyrtaeus and Alcman survive
Alcman (latter 7th century BC)
- LIVED: who lived later in the 7th century BC, wrote romantic choral odes  he was the first
Greek chloral poet whose works are known to us
- CHORAL PIECES: reveal aspects of the vital social life of Spartans and including:



-
Festivals/Religious
Bridal Hymns: and poems in praise of love and wine
Themes: the beauty of nature, love and marriage
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES: his poems have been used as evidence of Spartan religious
ceremonies, particularly the Parthenion, a hymn sung by a choir of women
Tyrtaeus (7th century BC)
- LIVED: lived in the early 7th century BC and wrote around the time of the second Messinian War
- WHO WAS HE: this remains a mystery ancient Greek stories describe him as a poet sent by
Athens to help Spartans, a lame schoolmaster and composer, and a Spartan general
- POETRY: he wrote poetry that was sung by Spartan men especially the army  it covered:


Warfare Marital Spirit: clearly designed to inspire fellow Spartans
Ideal Warrior: he praises the qualities of an ideal warrior, courage in battle, physical strength, speed, beauty and
eloquence


-
Subjugated Helots: his poems also refer to the subjugated helots
Other themes: included bravery, courage and honour
PURPOSE: was didactic  designed to teach boys the correct attitudes which were endorsed by
the state
VALUABLE INSIGHTS: His poetry is valuable for the insights it gives us to the mentality of
Spartan soldiers and the descriptions of formations and armour.
Greek Writers’ views of Sparta
Views
Evidence
Herodotus (480-425BC)
- SPARTAN ARMY: admires the Spartan army and leadership
 records great deeds e.g. Persian wars
- MISSING DETAILS: leaves out details to glorify the Athenians
role
- NO INFO ON SOCIETY/WOMEN: doesn’t provide a lot of
detail on Spartan society or women
Thucydides(460-400BC)
He was an Athenian
general ostracized from
Athens
- ADMIRED: admire their way of life but was glad not to be
part of it
- FIGHTING METHODS: were outdated
- PELOPONNESIAN WAR: wrote about the war which Sparta
had one from the personal observations of a general’s point
of view
“The Spartans had escaped
from great evil and mastered
the Trojans in war’ When
Xerxes says that Persian
arrows will block out the sun –
Leonidas ‘we will fight in the
shade”
“We are so greatly different
from our opponents (Sparta)in
our training for war. ’‘thigh
displayers’ (Spartan women)”
Xenophon(428-354BC)
- EYE WITNESS (lived): as he lived in Sparta for a period of
“The agoge ‘cultivated
time
their war like instincts”
- ADMIRED: what he believed to be Spartan traditions and the
Spartan way of life
- EDUCATION SYSTEM: respected the education system
especially the agoge process
- BIASED: towards Sparta
Aristotle(384-322BC)
- SPARTAN CONSTITUTION: wrote about the Spartan
constitution especially what he considered to be its defects,
a system doomed for failure
- NEGATIVE VIEW: viewed some aspects as childish
- BLAMES WOMEN (land): ownership of land for the downfall
 critical of the rights of women
‘The Spartans concerned with
war left them with nothing
after battle.’‘ Women had too
much freedom: they
dominated their men’
Plutarch (46-120AD)
- BACKGROUND/EXPLANATIONS: he drew on many sources
which we do not have now and his historical material often
provides background and explanations of early Sparta e.g.
intuitions and mechanism
- LYCURGUS (questions existence): questions his existence
- ADMIRES MOST THINGS: except the Krypteia
- SOCIETY: writes about society, structure and laws of Sparta
- BIOGRAPHIES: he wrote biographies of important Spartan
individuals e.g. Lysander, Agis, Lycurgus
‘All the Greeks know what is
right but only the Spartans do
it properly.’‘ Come back with
your shield, or on it.’
Pausanias(2nd century
AD)
- BUILDINGS/TEMPLES: describes the temples and buildings
before his time e.g. Agora and Temple of Apollo
- NO DISTINGUISHMENT: the problem with his description is
that it often fails to distinguish between Roman and Spartan
remains