3. Social relationships and gender roles
Social Structure and Organisation
Spartiates (homoioi)
– were of Dorian origin.
– elite group, owned a plot of public land (kleros), allegedly had to prove descent from Herakles
– were involved in few activities other than military training, as commerce was left to the Perioikoi
and agriculture to the helots. (Forbidden from trade, industry, farming.)
– Had to contribute to the syssitia/pass through the agoge.
– Ideal men were soldiers. At 30, had full voting and citizenship rights.
– Women: restricted as were most women of ancient times, but had more freedom than most
Greeks. Could inherit property if there were no male heirs. Luxury was discouraged for them as
with the men. They also conformed to the ideal of sacrifice to the state and were supposed to
encourage the men to be courageous and die honourably rather than live in cowardice. Had no
voting rights, but did come to own 2/5 of land through inheritance.
– Spartiates came to be outnumbered 15/1 by helots and perioikoi.
– Citizens ultimately free off caring for own family, and could devote themselves to the state.
Social groupings:
- Tribe: large group of families claiming common ancestor
- Clan: smaller group of families part of tribe
- Phratry: 'brotherhood' – smaller grouping within clan, sometimes religious
- Oikos: the household/single family.
Tyrtaeus wrote that originally Sparta had 3 main tribes.
Perioikoi
– were also Dorian in origin
– self-governing, had local citizenship, managed own communities and religion.
– Managed economic affairs: business and trade
– owed allegiance to Sparta, could not intermarry, expected to serve in army when required.
– It was a delicate balance to keep them satisfied (or intimidated) enough to remain faithful and
submissive, but not to let them become independent enough not to be of any use.
– probably mined and made armour for the army – v. important.
– Essential for army as the Spartan population was low – halved between the 5th and 4th – by then
Spartiates made up only ¼ of the army.
– Neither group could prosper without the other.
Helots
– pre-Dorians.
– State owned...etc.
– Forbidden to move without permission, had no political rights. However were better off than
Athenian chattel slaves, who could be bought and sold, and could not have own communities or
religion, or make any profit from their work.
Outcasts/Inferiors (hypomeiones) Included:
– Parthenai: Illegitimate children of Spartiates and helots
– Tresantes: cowards who lost citizenship for treason or cowardice.
– Freed helots (often those in army)
Sources
Xenophon: “Lycurgus prohibited free citizens from having anything to do with business.... they
should not desire wealth with a view to sensual gratification.” (It was more likely this was to make
them more concerned with war and physical health.)
Thucydides: “the Helots who had been judged by the Spartans to be superior in bravery, set wreaths
Roles of Spartan Women
3 main roles:
– bearers of children and mothers of warriors
– heiresses & managers of estates
– helot women: domestic and agricultural functions
Most things in Sparta including the roles of women were aimed at military uses.
– Spartan women generally had more freedom than Athenians and other Greeks.
– Their main function was the same: to be wives and mothers of citizens
– as the citizen population of Sparta were warriors, they fulfilled this function differently.
Girls' Education
– did not seem to be examined as babies
– child rearing in Sparta seemed to be valued as Spartan women were highly sought after esp. in
Athens as nannies
– Girls stayed at home but were expected to be educated.
– Organised in bands for team games and singing
Xenophon compares this to the upbringing of girls in other parts of Greece; says Lycurgus
introduced the system.
Marriage Customs
Spartan girls, according to Plutarch, were married 'when they were ripe for it' (late teens) as
opposed to Athens)
– Marriage by capture
– bride's hair was cut and she was dressed like a man and left in a dark room. Could have been to
imply subjugation or chastity, or be more familiar (it is likely many Spartan men were
homosexual).
– It is possible that a marriage was kept secret until children were produced
– A man would continue to live in the barracks and visit his bride in secret
– Xenophon & Plutarch both refer to wife-sharing. This was condoned because of Sparta's
diminshing population and the desire of many to have warrior sons of their own.
– Betrothal often took place and dowries were important.
Women and Property
– had more control than Athenians
– was a useful area of control as they had no part in the communal life of men or government.
– Wealth in Sparta revolved around land ownership
– by the end of the classical period women owned/managed estates without males (Aristotle and
Xenophon) women owned/managed estates without males.
– Probably because men were so often absent
– Aristotle: “nearly two-fifths of the whole country are held by women” end of classical period.
Spartan Beauty
– forbidden by Lycurgan law from make-up, jewellery & extravagant clothes (Plutarch)
– however at the end of the 5th century luxury goods were used.
– Tunics had splits to give freedom of of movement rather than Athenian protective clothing –
frowned upon.
Religious Roles
– Artemis Orthia – goddess of childbirth, votive offerings were left at her sanctuary
– Aphrodite Hera – mothers sacrificed to her when a young Spartan woman married
– Religious Dances – 'Hyporchema' (Apollo) and 'Caryatid' (Artemis)
–
little is known about perioikoi or helot women – probably carried out menial/domestic tasks.
Sources
Xenophon: “he prescribed physical training for the female sex no less than for the male”.
Plutarch recounts a story of a woman burying her son, who in response to the pity of another
woman, responded by saying 'a piece of good fortune, because I bore him so that he might die for
Sparta...'
and another: “When asked by a woman from Attica: 'Why are you Spartan women the only ones
who can rule men?' Gorgo replied 'Because we are also the only ones who give birth to men.'”
“Spartan men were always subject to their wives and allowed them to interfere with affairs of state”
“Spartan women enjoyed unusually ample property rights” - Grant
Opinions on Spartan Women
Aristotle: disapproved of the free lifestyle & influence of Spartan Women. Partially blamed this for
the decline of Sparta.
Plato: criticised the Spartans for giving the women a partial education, and then allowing them to
'live as they like and wallow in expensive luxury'.
Aristophanes: admires the strength and beauty of Spartan women in a play
Euripides: “No Spartan girl/could grow up modest, even if she wanted to.”
Archaeological Source: Figure of girl dancing/running
Kyniska – Owner of horses which won chariot-races (Cartledge) although Dillon & Garland think
she won in person.
Role of the Family
Rites of Passage
Krypteia