This is Sparta: Fierce warriors of the ancient world - Craig Zimmer

Summary

The ancient city-state of Sparta was renowned for its fierce warriors, a product of a unique and rigorous upbringing. From birth, Spartans were selected for their strength and raised with a singular purpose: to serve and defend Sparta. Children were instilled with loyalty to their city before family, and at age seven, boys entered the agoge, a thirteen-year program of intense physical and mental training. This included combat training, encouragement to fight and steal for survival, and enduring harsh conditions such as hunger and minimal clothing. Spartan boys also learned reading, writing, and dancing, while girls were educated in arts, music, and sports, with an emphasis on physical strength to produce future warriors. The ultimate lesson for both genders was unwavering allegiance to Sparta, with the highest honor being death in battle or childbirth, symbolizing the ultimate sacrifice for their city-state.

Takeaways

• 🏰 Ancient Greek city-states built massive defensive walls for protection, but Sparta relied on its formidable army instead.
• 📜 There are no surviving written accounts from Spartans themselves; historical accounts come from non-Spartan historians like Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch.
• 👶 At birth, Spartan leaders inspected newborns, with only the strong considered fit to serve Sparta, while the weak were left exposed on Mount Taygetus.
• 👦 Spartan boys were raised with the understanding that their primary loyalty was to Sparta, not their family, from a young age.
• 🏋️‍♂️ At age seven, Spartan boys entered the agoge, a rigorous training program designed to forge them into warriors over thirteen years.
• 🥊 Physical prowess was highly valued, and boys were trained in combat, encouraged to fight each other, and were subjected to bullying as part of their resilience training.
• 🍲 Spartan boys were deliberately underfed and given little clothing to prepare them for the harsh conditions of war.
• 🚫 Stealing was encouraged as a survival skill, but getting caught resulted in punishment, not for the act itself.
• 🏺 The diamastigosis was an annual endurance ritual where teenage boys were whipped, sometimes fatally, as part of their training.
• 📚 Alongside physical training, Spartan boys were also taught literacy and dance, which contributed to their combat skills.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Spartan girls were expected to maintain physical fitness through sports like discus, javelin, and horseback riding, as well as receive an education in arts, music, and academics.
• 💔 The ultimate duty for Spartans was to die for Sparta; only those who died in battle or childbirth were commemorated with tombstones.

Q & A

What was the primary purpose of the Spartans' existence?

The primary purpose of the Spartans' existence was to serve Sparta.

What was the unique approach of Sparta towards city defense compared to other Greek city-states?

Unlike other Greek city-states that surrounded themselves with massive defensive walls, Sparta found walls unnecessary due to having an army of the most feared warriors in the ancient world.

What was the age at which Spartan boys were sent to the agoge?

Spartan boys were sent to the agoge at the age of seven.

What was the main goal of the agoge and how long did it last?

The main goal of the agoge was to turn a boy into a Spartan warrior, and it lasted for thirteen years.

What was the Spartans' attitude towards physical perfection and how did it shape their training?

The Spartans prized physical perfection above all else, which led to the students spending a significant amount of their time learning how to fight and undergoing harsh training to ensure resilience in battle.

How did the Spartan education system differ for boys and girls?

While both boys and girls were taught to serve Sparta, boys were trained in combat and physical endurance at the agoge, whereas girls lived at home and were educated in the arts, music, dance, reading, and writing, along with sports to maintain peak physical condition.

What was the significance of the annual contest of endurance known as the diamastigosis?

The diamastigosis was a religious ritual where teenage boys were whipped in front of an altar as a test of endurance, and it was common for boys to die during this event.

What were the expectations for Spartan women in terms of producing the next generation of warriors?

Spartan women were expected to be strong and capable to bear children who would one day become strong and capable warriors, ensuring the continuation of Sparta's military prowess.

How did the Spartan society view death in battle or childbirth?

In Spartan society, death in battle for men and in childbirth for women was seen as the completion of one's duty to Sparta, and those who died in such ways were given tombstones.

Why were the written accounts of non-Spartan historians considered important for understanding Spartan culture and practices?

The written accounts of non-Spartan historians like Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch are important because there are no surviving written accounts from Spartans themselves, as it was forbidden for them to keep records.

What was the role of stealing in the Spartan boys' training and how was it punished?

Stealing was encouraged as a means for the boys to survive, but if caught, they were disciplined not for the act of stealing, but for being caught in the act, teaching them the importance of cunning and stealth.