Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Spartan Culture
If you've seen the movie 300, you know a little bit about what it means to be a Spartan. However, the movies have a way of glamorizing the past. The actors who play Spartans are often chiseled and good looking. They're portrayed as tough and noble all at the same time.
In reality, Spartan culture was rather brutal. People were held to very high standards, women had no rights, and people followed some very strange practices. Keep reading to learn what life was really like for people who were a part of Sparta and its militaristic culture.
Women Were Supposed To Be Quiet And Make Babies
Spartans were a very violent people and they went to war a lot. That means that a lot of Spartans died before their time. To make up for that loss of life, female Spartans were expected to be baby-making machines.
If a Spartan female of childbearing age wasn't yet a mother, the government would force her to find a new man who could "do the job" her husband couldn't. The government took extreme measures to make sure that the population always had enough warriors.
They Instigated Fights Among The Youth
Life in Sparta was kind of like one big reality television show. Spartans were always stirring up drama just for the heck of it. Spartan boys were expected to be ruthless, fearless warriors. In order to test them, some teachers and elders would purposefully start fights amongst the boys so they would fight each other for "practice."
These fights would get pretty hairy, and in some cases, boys even severely injured or killed each other.
Weird Relationships Between Mentors And Mentees
Spartan boys had to learn from somebody. They were often paired with older male mentors who taught them how to be brave, how to fight, and how to exist within a larger society. Pretty often, mentors would form unhealthy, sometimes inappropriately physical relationships.
Sometimes these relationships were taken at face value and seen as normal, but If the government discovered that a mentor and mentee were engaging each other physically with no training involved they could be banished.
How Marriages Happened In Sparta
Marriages in Sparta weren't really a thing— at least, not in any way that resembles how we view marriage today. The man didn't propose, there was no wedding or white dress. Instead, the woman would shave her head, dress in men's clothing and lay down in the middle of the night on a pallet. The groom would visit her in the middle of the night, have his way with her, and return her to her parents. After that, they were considered husband and wife.
Then the men would go off to war and they would be unable to return to their wives again until they turned 30.
Nobody Threatens A Spartan
In maybe the most epic non-battle of all-time, the Spartans once responded to a threat by Philip II of Macedon with one of their own. Philip II, who had conquered most of Greece, wrote, "you are advised to submit without further delay, for if I bring my army to your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people, and raze your city."
Instead of shaking in their tunics, the Spartan sent a one word message back to Philip II. It read, "If." Phillip II of Macedon took the response seriously and did not attack Sparta.
Alcohol Consumption Was Not Encouraged
From the way Spartans behaved, you might assume that they were drunk most of the time. In reality, the image of Spartans and drunken oafs is one of the great myths of ancient cultures.
Spartans drank wine on occasion, but overindulging and getting too drunk was looked down upon. Most of their wine was watered down and children were instructed about the virtue of staying sober. They didn't need alcohol to be violent— they were violent by nature.
War Training Starts At Age Seven
All young Spartan boys grew up knowing that one day, they would be warriors. As soon as they turned seven, Spartan males were taken away from their families to start training for war. They went through intense training rituals and exercises in order to eventually become a part of the larger Spartan army.
The reputation of the Spartan army is proof of the success of their training as it is widely known today. Movies are still being made about their rigorous training exercises.
There Were No Sick Days In The Army
If you were a part of the Spartan army, you had to fight even if you were suffering from a disease. Sick days just weren't a thing according to the Spartans. Your eye could be falling out and you would still be expected to fight on the front line.
That's pretty much what happened to a famous Spartan named Aristodemus. He missed the warriors' famous last stand in Thermopylae because of an eye disease, and as a result, he was labeled a coward.
A Secret Police Force
With such a large population of helots to keep in order, the Spartans knew they couldn't leave them alone without enforcement. To maintain order among their slaves, Spartans had secret helot police named Krypteia. Their only job was to keep helots in check, no matter the consequences.
If the Krypteia found any helots wandering the countryside at night, they would kill them. If the Krypteia deemed any helot to be too fit, they would kill them. Basically, helots were only safe if they hated exercise and loved sleep.
Women Were Trained In Combat Too
Sparta, like most other Greek cities, didn't respect women very much. It still might be true to say they respected their women just a little bit more than everyone else. In fact, unlike other cities, Sparta trained its women to fight at the same time it trained its men.
Unfortunately, the physical training isn't for what you might think. Women weren't allowed to actually fight alongside their husbands. Their physical training was designed to help them with childbirth, an entirely different kind of "war." We take back what we said about having more respect than other Greek cities.
Death Wasn't The Only Punishment
As much as Spartans loved to end the lives of their enemies and unfit children, they didn't always feel the same way about adults. When a male soldier was declared a coward, he wouldn't always face death, sometimes he would face severe embarrassment.
Tactics used to embarrass cowards included forcing them to shave half of their face and wear clocks with patches of dyed cloth. In modern society, we would just call them hipsters. In Spartan society, there was no worse physical look then being forced to be unkempt. At least they could re-prove their worth during battle.
They Never Surrendered
As in Samurai culture, Spartans were never supposed to surrender. They were expected to kill themselves before surrendering. Suicide was seen as a nobler fate than defeat.
Spartans who killed themselves on the field before a defeat could happen were seen as dying in honor. Of course, there was that one time the Spartan army was forced to surrender before they could commit mass suicide. In that case, there were a lot of cowards left alive.
The One Time They Did Surrender
While it was considered honorable to kill yourself instead of surrendering, there was one time the Spartan army was forced to surrender. The Battle of Pylos was a epic failure of a fight for the Spartans. The worst part was that several soldiers were taken hostage by the Athenians.
The result of having Spartan hostages shocked the Greek world. At the time, no army believed the Spartans would ever surrender. It was well known back then that they preferred to die with honor.
They Obeyed Two Kings
The citizens of Sparta were ruled by two kings from two different ruling dynasties. According to Spartan legend, the god Heracles fathered twin sons. Because they were twins, they both had equal right to the throne. The brothers formed the two royal houses; Agiad and Eurypontid.
As king, the brothers were also the chief priests of Sparta. Neither of these brothers was the most famous Spartan king, though. Thanks to 300, Leonidas is the most well know Spartan king today. He led the armies to war in the Battle of Theromoplyae.
An Emergency Butt Spike
Spartans always fought with a spear. The spear was razor-sharp and it could easily pierce through skin, muscle, and sometimes bone. There were also sharp points at the back ends of their spears known as "butt spikes."
These spikes could be used if the head of their spear broke off. It also allowed soldiers to stand their spears in the ground when a battle was over. Sometimes it was used to kill enemies who were already laying on the ground.
Burial Headstones Were Only For Certain People
Not everyone in Sparta was given a headstone after they died. There were only two ways be honored with one. You either had to be a soldier who died in battle, or a woman who died during childbirth. No other form of death was considered honorable enough.
We do find it odd that a soldier could survive several battles, live to an old age, die of natural causes, and not be honored by the culture he fought bravely for. He never proved himself to be a coward, just an adept soldier with incredible skills to stay alive!
They Used Slave Labor
Because they were entirely focused on fighting wars and conquering other cultures, Spartans didn't have time for other jobs. Still, they needed someone to do their farming, cooking, and any other duty they refused to do. To make sure it all got done, they had their own slaves that were called "helots."
Helots consisted of those Greek citizens who had been conquered by the Spartans. As the culture conquered more and more lands, their helot numbers grew and grew. Don't worry though, the Spartans had their way to avoid a helot uprising.
The Spartans Did Wear Armor
Even though in the movies, Spartans fight bare-chested, that's not how things went down in real life. It looks good on screen to see muscular actors with their abs out, but if people really fought like that, the Spartans wouldn't have been nearly as successful in battle as they were.
They wore body armor made of the same material and hoplite equipment that Greek soldiers used. They also wore red tunics that were supposed to instill fear in the hearts of their enemies.
Newborn Inspections Were A Thing
When a new child was born in Sparta, they were forced to undergo what can best be described as a "quality inspection." If there were any "faults" found in the child, they were left to die. This terrible practice ensured Spartans grew up to be perfect warriors, devoid of health defects.
Rewatching 300 we now realize the deformed Spartan who turns on his people never would have lived to become as old as he did. As soon as he was born, the Spartan government would have left him alone somewhere to... you know.
A Complex Government System
To help maintain balance in society as well as the roles of the kings, Spartan society had ephors. Ephors were elected by the males citizens of Sparta, and essentially acted as the equivalent of America's House, Senate, and Supreme Court.
As far as other Greek cultures during the time period, no one had a bigger government more capable of the checks and balances we are used to seeing today. The biggest difference, obviously, was the complete lack of women allowed to participate in politics and decision making.
The Spartan Root Of The Word "Laconic"
The word "laconic" essentially means to be brief and use few words. The term can be traced back to ancient Sparta, whose people were known for being blunt and hailing from Sparta, Laconia.
While many people believe this was due to a lack of education in arts and literature, Socrates denounced this theory, claiming the Spartans were very well educated. However, this misconception of the Spartans' intelligence usually aided them, with their enemies assuming they were dim-witted.
Special Spartan Money
In the ancient Spartan Constitution, it was the issue of coinage such as gold and silver was forbidden in order to discourage its citizens from accumulating personal wealth, therefore distracting them from preparing for war. Instead of the typical gold and silver coinage, Spartans used iron.
The first-century historian Plutarch says of the Spartan lawgiver, Lycurgus "[H]e commanded that all gold and silver coin should be called in and that only a sort of money made of iron should be current, a great weight and quantity of which was but very little worth."
What They Ate
The ancient Spartans' diet was limited to the local resources that they had on hand. Unlike many other Greek city-states, they weren't as obsessed with their food and maintained a rather strict and humble diet. Their mentality was health and fitness above all, so what they ate was in order to stay as in-shape as possible and not to overindulge.
Typically, the food most Spartans ate included meat from pigs, goats, fish, and sheep, as well as locally grown fruit, milk, bread, and honey. Their most famous dish, however, is black broth, rumored to be made from boiled pig, its blood, with salt and vinegar.
The Spartan Sheilds
Besides being used to protect themselves as well as the soldier next to them in battle, a Spartan warrior's shield held a deeper meaning. Military families would pass down their shields to each generation as a type of family heirloom.
Losing a sword or spear during battle was not too bad, however, losing your shield was viewed as a disgrace not only to your family but to Sparta. They were so highly valued because not only did they protect the warrior but were a symbol of Sparta.
They Told Each Other Stories
Aside from the rigorous training that required them to fight, steal, and suffer through extreme pain and punishment, another way to give the young boys courage was through stories. These tales were about their predecessors and the things they did that made them true Spartans.
Since the boys were forced to steal food but would be punished if caught, one story was about a boy who found a fox and hid it under his shirt. As he walked by Spartan soldiers, the fox chewed at his stomach, but he showed no pain to avoid getting caught.
A Female Spartan Olympian
In 396 B.E. and again in 392 B.C., the Spartan Cynisca became the first female to ever win an Olympic event and was the champion of the four-horse chariot race. Although she did not race in the event herself, she trained and bred the horses, as well as funded the chariot and its rider.
However, this does not diminish her accomplishment, as women weren't even allowed inside Olympia when the games were going on. So, for Cynisca to be involved at all, let alone win, was quite groundbreaking at the time.
There Weren't Any Walls In The City (For A While)
Unlike almost every other city-state in Greece, Sparta didn't have walls protecting its territory. The city-state reached its height in 404 B.C. after it defeated Athens in the Second Peloponnesian War.
It was during that time that the city didn't have walls defending its people or their property. Supposedly, Lycurgus claimed that "A city is well-fortified which has a wall of men instead of brick." While this philosophy worked for a time, Sparta eventually fell to become a second-rate power in Greece.
A Tourist Destination
After its defeat in the Laconian war by Rome and other city-states, Sparta lost its political independence and was forced into the Achaean League. Although Sparta did not participate in the Achaean War, the Achaean League was defeated in 146 BC by the Roman general Lucius Mummius, making Sparta a free city under Roman rule.
During that time, some of the policies and practices instituted by Lycurgus were restored and Sparta became a popular tourist destination for the Roman elite to observe their unique customs.
They Never Came Back From That
Although at its height, Sparta was the dominant force in the Greek military during the Greco-Persian Wars, it was rivaled by Athens -- especially their naval power. The two powers collided between 431 and 404 B.C. in what is known as the Peloponnesian War. Sparta came out victorious.
However, Sparta was later defeated by Thebes in 371 B.C. in the Battle of Leuctra in a fair fight. This established that the Spartans indeed weren't invincible and was the beginning of the city-state's decline. They never recovered from this.
Why They Had Long Hair
Although it was not uncommon for men to wear their hair long across Greece, Sparta upheld the tradition for centuries. Spartan boys kept their hair short until puberty when they then began to let it grow.
They prided themselves on their hair and would take special care of it before a battle, with both Spartan men and women wearing it in a knot on top of their heads. According to Lycurgus, "Long hair adds beauty to a good face, and terror to an ugly one."
A Thriving Art Scene
Although it may seem unlikely given their devotion to warfare and emphasis on strength, Sparta was a cultural hub for poetry and especially music. Trainees and soldiers were known to sing together during the evenings, priding themselves on their individual skill.
It is written that the famous musician, Terpander, is credited with establishing the first musical contest in Sparta. The Spartans were also incredibly defensive of the musical history, not allowing the Helots to perform any of their famous songs and forcing them to sing lower-class music.
Women Were Property Owners
Very unusual for other Greek city-states at the time, the women of Sparta had economic power, controlling and owning even their husbands' properties and lands. In later Classical Sparta, there was a serious decline in the male population, which meant that the women of the city-state owned at least 35% of all the land.
In addition to owning lands, women also weren't forced into marriage at a young age like in Athens. They were actually forbidden to marry until they were well into their 20s.
The Story Of Queen Gorgo
One of the most well-documented and highly regarded women in Spartan history is Queen Gorgo, the heiress to the throne and the wife of Leonidas I. It was recorded that as a young girl, she managed to convince her father, Cleomenes, to resist what would have been a very dangerous bribe.
In addition, when Spartan generals couldn't decode a wooden tablet covered in wax, she instructed them to remove the wax. Beneath was a warning that Persian forces were planning to attack Greece.
Hazing Rituals
As if being beaten, starved, and forced to fight one another wasn't bad enough, the boys undergoing military training, known as agōgē, were frequently taunted and hazed by their female peers. All part of the process, the girls would publicly humiliate the boys during their training, singling out the weakest ones in hopes of inspiring them to perform better.
This form of hazing was especially common during ritualistic events and festivals in which all of the girls would get together and either praise or mock the boys based on their performance.
I Bite My Thumb At You
While many of the other Greek city-states thought the Spartans' lack of flowery language was due to a lack of intelligence, it was actually something that they would teach the boys in training. Agōgē wasn't all physical training, but mental as well.
The boys were frequently bombarded with all sorts of questions and were expected to respond with short and witty answers. If they were unable to do so, their masters would bite their thumbs as punishment.
A Game Of Whips And Cheese
On top of everything else young Spartan boys had to go through during their training, they were also publicly beaten, specifically whipped, during certain festivals. One of these occasions was an opportunity for the starved boys to receive some food if they could withstand the pain.
According to Xenophon, cheeses were placed on an altar with the object being for the boys to steal them while being whipped all the while. Even the lucky ones who managed to come out with the cheese faced a harsh whipping afterward. This entire ceremony was a public event.
Body Shaming Was Definitely A Thing
Since the Spartans were so dedicated to physical fitness and strength, those whose bodies weren't in top shape were shamed and punished. They believed this was especially important for the young boys training to become Spartan warriors.
One of the ways they made sure that all of the boys met their standard was to hold an inspection every ten days. The boys would stand naked as their masters and the public would analyze their bodies checking for body fat or weak muscles.
They Were Superstitious
Although they knew that had a superior military to just about any other city-state in Greece, Spartans were still superstitious when it came to warfare. They made sure to follow a series of rituals and sacrifices before engaging in any military campaign.
Before heading out to war they would often sacrifice animals to the god of war, Enyalius, and bring the burning carcass to the edge of Spartan territory in preparation for the battle. On occasion, they would also consult oracles as Leonidas did before the Battle of Thermopylae.
They Created The Iron Apenga
The Iron Apenga was the brainchild of the Spartan King Nabis, who ruled between the years 201-192 B.C. The machine was a replica of Nabis' wife, Apenga, instead, it opened up to show spikes on the inside.
The device was primarily used on those who refused to pay money, who were then asked to "hug Apenga." As the doors closed, the spikes would slowly begin to pierce the victim's skin. If you didn't agree to listen to Nabis, it would result in a horrible death.
The Phalanx Formation
When fighting, Spartan soldiers fought in what is known as a phalanx formation. They would line up side-by-side and several men deep, using their shields to protect both themselves and the man next to them.
This created an almost impenetrable barrier and they would then push forward, using their exposed spears to kill their enemies. Although this wasn't necessarily a unique style of combat during their time, their superior strength and military prowess made them highly effective.
