Spartan Society: Sparta at War in 5th Century: Classical Civilization: GCSE (9:1)

Economic exchange

Lycurgus discouraged trade and banned gold and silver coinage and substituted them for pelanors (iron bars)

Pelanors

Iron bars used as a type of currency in Sparta

Lycurgus

Legendary ruler of Sparta; tradition credits him with the constitution that changed Sparta into a military state.

Kleroi

Farmland allotted to each Spartan citizen

Helots

A race of slaves kept by the Spartans to work the land and provide food

Syssita

A compulsory common mess hall. Men age 20-60 ate together, men 20-30 also had to spend the night, encouraged unity and discipline, replaced the family as the main focus

Perioikoi

Dwellers around, involved in craft work, trade and commerce, these occupations were forbidden to Spartans

Black Broth

Said to of been a Spartan staple, made from boiled pork, salt, vinegar and blood

Krypteia

A sort of secret police to keep Helots afraid, young Spartans armed with daggers roamed the country side and killed any helots they could find, Plato saw this as part of Spartan military training

Thucydides

An ancient historian who wrote admiringly about them and their institutions, did not write about life in Sparta

Herodotus

A Greek historian who wrote about the Spartans, mainly about their foreign policy and criticised their constitution

inferiors

People who were previously Spartan citizens but lost citizenship due to failure to contribute to the community

Ekklesia

An assembly of all male citizens over the age of 30, excluding the slave class who voted on legislation, elected the Gerousia, annually elected the ephors

Gerousia

Council of Elders in Sparta, 60+ yrs of age, chosen for life by assembly, included 2 kings, 28 others

Ephors

A high-ranked government official in Sparta who was elected by the council of elders

Homoioi

"Equals" - A citizen of Sparta (adult male whose parents were from citizen families)

Artemis Orthia

Archaic alter and temple for Artemis used by the Spartans as a coming-of-age ceremony involving cheese theft and whipping

Apollo

Sun god, order and harmony, associated particularly with Amyklai and the Hyakinthia festival, gave approval through the great Rhetra of the Spartan Constitution

Messenian Wars

Conflicts between the neighbors Sparta and Messenia that resulted in Messenia's conquest by Sparta in about 600 B.C.E.

Battle of Thermopolae

A famous battle between a small number of Spartans and Greeks against a large invading Persian army

Agoge

Education, socialization and learning of values for Spartan boys, learnt to serve society, not develop talents, Prepared men as soldier-citizens, taught courage, endurance, obedience, loyalty