How Far Does The Period 478-404 Bear Out The Contention That
"Spartan Policy Is Always Governed Mainly By The Necessity Of
Taking Precautions Against The Helots"?
During the period 478-404BC Sparta was considered to be one of
the leading states in all of Hellas. Spartas policies have been questioned by
many ancient historians including Thucydides himself and it could be
argued that some of Spartas policies did have alterior motives and reasons
but was Spartan policy always governed mainly by the necessity of taking
precautions against the Helots?
A Greek tribe called the Dorians who had previously lived on the
edge of the civilised world crossed the Corinthian Gulf and invaded the
great cities of the Peloponnese. The Dorians settled in Laconia and
became known as the Spartans whereas the previous inhabitants of that
area were enslaved and became known as the Helots. The invasions of
Messenia and Helos around 740BC also gained Sparta a large number of
Statue of Spartan king Leonidas I, erected by Pano...
Ruins of Ancient Sparta, Greece.
Territory of ancient Sparta. Data from Kaplan (dir...Helots. A third social class also existed classical Sparta called the
Periocoi. This class had more rights than the Helots but still could not be
considered to be Spartan citizens. The Periocoi had their own communities
but were still owned by the Spartan state and had to obey the Spartans.
Sparta itself was a very militaristic society and was the only society
in Greece to have a professional army. According to Plutarch, the aim of
the Spartan education system was "to produce prompt obedience to
authority, the ability to endure pain and hardship, courage and victory in
battle." So it seems the Spartan way of life was very hard and its main aim
was to produce good soldiers. Spartas tough military regime was known as
the Agoge; a boy lived in the barracks training to become...