Sparta (or Lacedaemon) was an ancient state in Greece in the Laconia region in the south of the Peloponnese Peninsula. Ancient Sparta is a model of an aristocratic state, which, in order to suppress a huge mass of the lower class population, artificially held back the development of private property and unsuccessfully tried to maintain equality among Spartans. The origin of the state in Sparta is usually attributed to the VII-VIII century BC. Sparta was for many years one of the leading city-states of Ancient Greece.
History
After the conquest of the Peloponnese by the Dorians, the main city of Laconia soon became known as Sparta. Along with the prevailing Dorians and Spartans, the population of the country consisted of Achaeans, among whom there were Perioeci, deprived of all political rights, but essentially free and entitled to own property, and helots deprived of their land were converted to slaves.
With victory in the Messenian wars, Sparta finally managed to conquer Messenia, after which the ancient Messenians were deprived of their land and converted to helots. Sparta defeated the Arcadians and shortly after 660 BC, forced Tegea to recognize its hegemony, and under the treaty, forced them to enter into a military alliance. Since then, Sparta was considered the first state of Greece. The longest rival of Sparta for primacy was the city Argos. However, when the Spartans in 550 BC conquered the border area of Kinuria with the city of Thyreya, Argos avoided conflict with Sparta.
Classical Era
Spartans concluded alliances and attracted to their side the rest of the Peloponnese. The Peloponnesian alliance domination belonged to Sparta, who exercised leadership in the war, and was also the center of the Union. At the same time, Sparta did not encroach upon the independence of individual states, which retained their autonomy. Allied states did not pay Sparta tributes. There was no permanent union council, but it convened in Sparta if necessary. Sparta did not try to extend its power to the entire Peloponnese, but the general danger during the Greco-Persian wars pushed all states, except Argos, to allow command by Sparta. With the elimination of immediate danger, the Spartans realized that they could not continue the war with the Persians distant from their borders, and the Spartans had to allow Athens to assume further leadership in the war. They confined themselves to the Peloponnese. Over time, a rivalry between Sparta and Athens began to emerge, cumulating into the First Peloponnesian War.
The increase of Athens’ power and their expansion to the west in 431 BC, led to the Peloponnesian War. Sparta eclipsed the power of Athens, leading to the establishment of the dominion of Sparta. At the same time, the foundations of Sparta, the legislation of Lycurgus, was not respected, leading to corruption.
Hellenistic and Roman Era
Since that time, Sparta quickly began to decline. Philip II of Macedonia appeared in 334 BC in the Peloponnese and he freed Messenia, Argos, and Arcadia from Spartan control. In the absence of Alexander the Great, King Agis III of Sparta, with the help of money received from Darius, tried to break free from the Macedonians, but was defeated by Antipater at Megalopolis and was killed in battle. In 195 BC the Laconian War began. The complaints of the oppressed were heard by the Romans, who then conquered all of Greece.
State System of Sparta
Sparta’s political system was based on the principle of the unity of full-fledged citizens. For this, the state strictly regulated the lives of the Spartans and restrained their property acquisitions. The foundations of the state system were laid by the legendary King Lycurgus. The Spartans were required to deal only with military and sport. The Lycurgus System transformed Sparta into an oligarchic slave-owning republic.
At the head of the state were two simultaneous kings. Their power was hereditary. The Council of Elders consisted of two Kings and 28 elders, who were elected for life by notable citizens who had reached the age of 60. The Board of Ephor consisted of five worthy citizens who were elected for one year by the people. At first, their power was limited to legal proceedings on property disputes. In the VI century BC, they began to direct foreign policy, to exercise internal government and the judiciary, and to supervise officials. The right to participate in the peoples’ assembly of Apella was reserved for male citizens who had reached the age of 30. Apella did not discuss any issues, but accepted or rejected proposed solutions. Voting was conducted by shouting. Apella had legislative rights; the right to elect officials, and also questions of war and peace.
Army of Sparta
The armament of the Spartan was a spear, a short sword, a round shield, a helmet, a shell, and leggings. The heavily armored infantryman was called a hoplite. The Spartan army included auxiliary units, whose armaments consisted of a light spear, a dart or bow, and arrows. The core of the Spartan army was hoplites, which numbered about 5-6,000. The cavalry consisted of citizens who could afford a horse. Spartans were famous for their military discipline and their courage.
Education system
According to Plutarch, newborns in Sparta were brought by their fathers to the elders, after which sick or premature children were thrown down from the mountain. The upbringing of the younger generation was considered a matter of state importance in classical Sparta. Upbringing was subordinated to the task of physical development of citizen soldiers. As to morals, emphasis was placed on the determination, steadfastness, and devotion. From seven to 20 years, the sons of free citizens lived in military-type boarding schools. In addition to physical exercises, they practiced military games, music, and singing. All children in Sparta were considered the property of the state.
Legacy
The most significant contribution Sparta left was military discipline, now a necessary element of any modern army. The Battle of Thermopylae was celebrated for its glory, and inspired countless people (An army of 300 Spartans stopped a much larger army of Persians in the Greco-Persian War).