Topic Four (1.4): Spartan Women
Introduction
Spartan women led lives that were much less restricted than Athenian women. They were allowed to own property and, because their men spent so much time away in barracks or fighting, they were allowed to make decisions about their lives and property. They were also encouraged to exercise in order to be able to bear healthy children.
Watch
Watch this talk by Professor Paul Cartledge on Spartan women and take notes:
WATCH – Ancient Sparta: Spartan Women (MASSOLIT) Links to an external site.
Read and Make Notes
- Read Plutarch’s Sayings of the Spartans – Sayings of Spartan Women, Gorgo 6 and Argileonis 1 (Archileonis).
- What does this tell you about the way Spartan women viewed themselves and their world?
- The specified sayings are listed below:
- On her husband Leonidas' departure for Thermopylae, while urging him to show himself worthy of Sparta, she asked what she should do. He said, ‘Marry a good man and bear good children.’
Gorgo 6
- On her husband Leonidas' departure for Thermopylae, while urging him to show himself worthy of Sparta, she asked what she should do. He said, ‘Marry a good man and bear good children.’
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- Some Amphipolitans came to Sparta and visited Archileonis, the mother of Brasidas, after her son's death. She asked if her son had died nobly, in a manner worthy of Sparta. As they heaped praise on him and declared that in his exploits, he was the best of all the Spartans, she said, ‘Strangers, my son was indeed noble and brave, but Sparta has many better men than he.’
Argileonis 1
- Some Amphipolitans came to Sparta and visited Archileonis, the mother of Brasidas, after her son's death. She asked if her son had died nobly, in a manner worthy of Sparta. As they heaped praise on him and declared that in his exploits, he was the best of all the Spartans, she said, ‘Strangers, my son was indeed noble and brave, but Sparta has many better men than he.’
- Read also Xenophon’s Constitution of the Spartans to revisit the passages about women:
READ – Literary Source: Xenophon, Constitution of the Spartans (Perseus) Links to an external site.
- You should also read the following sections of Herodotus, The Histories which give you an insight into the mindset of the Spartans: 5.75 (pages 367 to 368), 7.102 (pages 448 to 449), 104 (pages 449 to 450) and 131-133 (page 458).
- This link takes you to a discussion of the education systems in Athens and in Sparta and a comparison between them:
EXPLORE – Education in Ancient Sparta and Ancient Athens (Cactusporpoise) Links to an external site.
- Read also Herodotus, The Histories 7.208-209 (pages 488 to 489) where a Persian scout at Thermopylae is amazed to see the Spartan warriors combing their hair before battle.
Watch
- Now watch the following video on education in Athens:
Read
Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus is interesting if you wish to extend your reading:
READ – Lycurgus (The Internet Classics Archive) Links to an external site.
Terminology
Make sure you understand any new terminology covered in this topic. You may like to make flashcards of key terms now, to help you with revision later on.