SPARTAN KINGSHIP
“First in debate shall heaven’s favourites, the kings
The guardians of fair Sparta’s city gates, speak…”
Fragment 4 Eunomia
Tyrtaeus
There were two hereditary kings,
constitutionally equal, representing the
ancient clans of Eurypontid and Agiad
“I will serve my kingship, in accordance
with the established laws of the state”
Monthly oath delivered to the Ephors on behalf of the state
Xenophon on the Kings
appointment
“When the king is dead and another is
appointed, this king who is newly
coming in sets free any man who was
a debtor to the king or state.”
POWERS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
Religious
Like aristocrats in other Greek states, they were
by virtue of birth, high priests of Zeus. This
entitled them to certain spiritual and material
prerogatives in the conduct of certain rituals of
animal sacrifice, both home and abroad, both on
and off the battlefield. Moreover it also gave
them unique access to the principal oracular
temple at Delphi.
“ He laid it down as law that the king shall offer
in behalf of the state all public sacrifices as being
himself of divine descent…..” Xenophon
Military
They commanded the army when sent out by the
people. Later in Sparta’s history only one king went
with the army, while the other stayed home.
Unable to finalise a peace treaty, they could
establish arrangements and conditions for
ratification by the Assembly
The Dioskuri, twin sons of Zeus, Castor and Pollux
served as mythical representatives of the two Spartan
kings. When going to war the symbolic image of the
Dioscuri accompanied the kings and army into battle
Judicial
 Although historians see the kings
judicial powers as limited, that is the
marriage of an unbetrothed heiress;
matters dealing with public roads and
the adoption of sons,these areas often
had wider implications for wealth
distribution and Spartiate numbers.
 As well, the kings sat in council with the
elders contributing two votes on all
other judicial matters.
PRIVILIGES
In war a hundred picked men shall be their guard upon
expeditions and they shall take as many cattle as they
desire and take the backs and hides of all that are
sacrificed.
In peace it is the privilige of kings to sit down to feast
before others and be served a double portion, which
could be given to other guests, and the first pouring of
libations and the hides of animals slain in sacrifice.
At the public charge a full grown victim in the Temple
of Apollo will be delivered and a measure of barleygroats and a Spartan quarter of wine,
At the games they shall have seats of honour specially
set apart
FUNERAL RIGHTSHERODOTUS
 ‘…and after they are dead horsemen go round and announce
that which has happened throughout the whole of the Spartan
land, and in the city women go about and strike upon a copper
kettle. Whenever this happens so, two free persons of each
household must go into mourning, a man and a woman, and for
those who fail to do this great penalties are prescribed.... a
certain number of the perioiki are compelled to go to the funeral
ceremony: and when there have been gathered together of these
and of the helots and of the Spartans themselves many
thousands in the same place, with their women intermingled,
they beat their foreheads with a good will and make lamentation
without stint, saying that this one who had died last of their
kings has been killed in war, they prepare an image to represent
him, laid upon a couch with fair coverings, and carry it out to be
buried. Then after they have buried him, no assembly is held
among them for ten days, nor is there any meeting for choice of
magistrates, but they have mourning during these days.”
A H Jones
“Aristotle calls the Spartan kings a
perpetual hereditary generalship, but in the
hands of an able king it could be and
normally was , far more.”
Paul Cartledge
“ At home, a Spartan kings powers of
initiative and executive decision making
were comparatively limited, in comparison
to their far greater powers….at the head of
an army.”
Andrews
“ What ever balance one favours, it is
clear that a determined king could make
the system operate for himself. Even the
most powerful king, however could be
challenged and occasionally cut down to
size if his behaviour served to unite the
elements against him.”
“Politics of Charisma”
Cleomenes
•His long reign ( 520-490 BC) witnessed not only constitutional
crises at home( the deposition of his fellow Eurypontid king,
Demaratus), but also the two major international conflicts with
Persia and Athens and their allies.
•Cleomenes policy seems to have swayed from anti Athenian to
pro Athenian and cooperation against the might of Persia.It was
at the head of the Peloponnesian League that Sparta led a unified
Greek resistance to Persia.
•Herodotus suggests that during this period it was the personal
leadership of Cleomenes that directed Spartan policy.
•By virtue of the length of his reign Cleomenes would have
overseen the appointments of a large number of the Gerousia.
•It is no surprise then , that in 494, impeached on a charge of
high treason, he was acquitted.
Agesilaus
 Agesilaus’ reign is well documented not
only by Xenophon but by Plutarch’s
sayings. By virtue of the length of his
reign, some 40 years he had major
influence over policy making. The chief
means he employed to create his
charismatic image was his ideological
self representation as the virtuous
Spartan.
 His personal charisma is highlighted in
his ability in 378 to influence the vote of
acquittal in a major political trial of
Sphodrias- Cartledge
Plutarch’s Sayngs
 “ When he was still a boy, at a celebration of the
Gymnopaediae the choral director put him in an
inconspicuous position. Even though he was already in
line to become king, he complied and remarked;” That’s
fine, for I will show that it is not positions which lend
men distinction but men who enhance positions.”
 He frequently remarked that the commander should
outclass his troops not in fastidiousness and high living
but in stamina and courage
 Questioned as to how he had gained his great
reputation, he said: “ By having despised death.”
Conclusions
Limited by the dual nature
Answerable to the Gerousia and
Ephors
Could be tried and executed
Success in battle, length of reign
and personal charisma could
enhance the power of the individual
king over the other elements