Title: Periocei
Source: Booklet one, Spartan Society from Antiquity 2 by T. Hurley, P. Medcalf, C. Murray, J. Rolph
Info:
 Means ‘Dwellers around’, refers to the autonomous communities throughout Lakonia and Messenia
along the coast of Sparta but remained answerable to Sparta.
 They had no say in Government affairs or Spartan foreign policy.
Role
Chiefly engaged in an
economic role to fulfil the
duties left behind by the
Spartiates who could not
engage in business. This
would include mining,
manufacture and commerce
Significance
Source/quote
The perioikoi produced the
metals as well as manufacturing the weapons to
support the Spartan war
machine in operation.
Without them, Sparta
would not be a super power
in Greece as it would need to
divert some of its Spartiate
members into industry rather
than training. The perioikoi
allowed them the free time
to train.
Relevance
Imported goods, fished and The Periocei were a seawere the basis of the naval faring people as they lived
forces
on the coasts of Sparta. They
would specialise in this area
and whenever Sparta was
involved in a naval war, the
Periocei were there to be
called.
Provide hoplites and troops The need to use Perioceic
to the Spartan army during reveals the amount of trust
campaigns.
that the Spartiates had in
Perioceic underlings as well
as the shortfall in numbers
of Spartiates.
Leaders of Perioceic
communities would pay
their respects when a
Spartan King died.
The Periocei had a duty
towards the Kings as well
as the State
Source: Booklet 2, Spartan Society, Life in Sparta by A. Powell
Source/quote
Relevance
“If the perioikoi were indeed integrated into Sparta’s hoplite
formation, that would say much both about their loyalty and about
the amount of time they spent in military training…the
Spartiates could not risk their difficult manoeuvres ending in
disarray through the presence of perioikoi who were uncooperative
or untrained.”
A. Powell
The Spartans had immense trust in their
Perioceic allies as incorporating them into
their military manoeuvures would mean that
their tactics could be leaked out. It also
meant that the two would need to train side by
side in order to maintain cohesion and
discipline.
Source: Booklet 6, Plutarch, Life of Lycurgus
Source/quote
Relevance
“Once few, if any, Spartiates practised a manual craft,
the commercial and economic role of the Periocei must
have become a very important one.”
Plutarch
The need for Periocei was essential in order to maintain
the Lycurgan reforms. With Spartiates unable to
participate in manual craft, and the helots busy on the
land to susceptible of revolting, the Periocei were the
last resort.
Plutarch’s statement is correct and the evidence of this
statement being true is undeniable as Spartiates were to
busy training to produce weapons and needed this 2nd
party contribution.
Source: Spartan Society, The Spartans by P. Cartledge
Source/Quote
Relevance
Perioceic communities were governed by unequal
treaties committing them “to follow the Spartans
wherever they led”
The Periocei were governed by the Spartans due to their
unfair placement in the social order.
Source: Booklet 8, Ancient Spartan Society, Perioceic Society by G. Shipley
Source/Quote
“Periocei can be seen not so much as one of a large
oppressed minority (or even a majority) in
Lakedaimon, but as collaborators with the Spartiate
ruling class and shearers in the profits of the system.”
Shipley
Relevance
This statement challenges the idea that the Periocei as
mere pawns to the Spartiate class, but near equals who
benefited from each others presence.