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40 practice flashcards covering key aspects of Sparta (and related notes), designed to help review major concepts, terms, and events from the lecture.
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What time frame does the Sparta section cover?
700-371 BCE
Where is Sparta located?
Lakonia Plain in Southern Greece
What are alternative names for Spartans?
Laikonians, Dorians, Peloponnesians, Lakedaemonians
What major organizational development did Spartans create?
The military chain of command
Which military aspect were Spartans weak in?
Cavalry
How did Spartan society view gender roles?
Women and men were mostly equal
Which geographical features protected Sparta?
Mt Taygetus (west) and Mt Parnon (east)
Name two natural resources of Sparta.
Marble and Iron
Who is credited with Lycurgus reforms?
Lycurgus
What is the Great Rhetra?
A set of laws and reforms in Sparta, conveyed orally
When did the Messenian Wars occur?
730-620 BCE
Name the three Spartan social classes.
Helots, Perioikoi, Spartiates
Who were Helots?
Slaves for Spartiates; primarily agricultural workers
Who were the Perioikoi?
Free inhabitants; ran their own communities; some military service; no policy power
Who were the Spartiates?
Elite Spartan citizens; full citizenship; trained as soldiers
What was the Krypteia?
Secret police that killed Helots in the countryside
What is the Agoge?
Spartan military training system starting at age 7
What happened to newborns deemed unhealthy?
Dumped at the bottom of Mt Taygetus
What is a Morai?
A group of soldiers within a Spartan unit; divisions of 8
Who were the Hippeis?
300 horsemen protecting the king; chosen annually
What are Hoplites?
Infantry soldiers who fought in the phalanx
What is a Hoplon?
Round wooden shield about 1 meter wide and around 7 kg
Name features of Hoplite armor.
Bronze helmet with crest; bronze breastplate; greaves; tunic
What is the Phalanx?
Tight square formation of troops with overlapping shields
Where is the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia and what ritual took place?
Western bank of the Eurotas; Diamastigosis and girls' procession
Which god did Spartans consult before major decisions?
The Oracle of Apollo at Delphi
What is Carneia?
Festival dedicated to Apollo Carneus lasting about 9 days
What is Hyacinthia?
3-day festival honoring Apollo and Hyacinthus with mourning then celebrations
What is Gymnopaedia?
Festival with choral performances and athletic competitions in honor of Apollo and Artemis
What is the significance of the Vix Krater?
A giant bronze mixing vessel showing extensive art trade; 1.64 m tall; 208 kg
Why did Spartan art production decline by the end of the 6th century BCE?
Lack of coinage, growing Helot/Perioikoi populations, and shift to militarism
Name some Spartan writers.
Tyrtaeus, Alcman, Herodotus, Thucydides
What downtime activities did Spartans enjoy?
Horse racing, athletics, chariot racing, feasting, hunting
What was a notable marriage practice among Spartans?
Marriage by capture; mothers could influence choices
What currency reform did Lycurgus implement?
Abolished gold and silver; replaced with iron pelanors
What was the Spartan economy based on?
Self-sufficiency; land distribution; Helots farming Kleroi
What is a Kleros?
A land plot allocated to a Spartiate, farmed by Helots
What were Syssitia?
Communal meals for Spartiate soldiers
What was the Gerousia?
Council of Elders; 28 members plus 2 kings; over 60; prepared topics and peace/war decisions
What was the Ephorate?
Five annually elected officials who supervised the kings and managed civil and criminal cases