Sparta : : history, state and society / / Ryszard Kulesza ; translated by Klaudyna Michałowicz.

• Superior document: Studies in classical literature and culture ; Volume 14
• VerfasserIn: Kulesza, Ryszard,
• TeilnehmendeR: Michałowicz, Klaudyna,
• Place / Publishing House: Berlin : : Peter Lang,, [2022]; ©2022
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in classical literature and culture ; Volume 14.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (482 pages)

A comprehensive introduction to the Greek superpower of the fifth and fourth century BC. Part I: the Spartan political institutions, mechanisms of governance, social structure, family, education, lifestyle, organization of the army and military life. Part II: the history of the polis at the peak of its influence. Epilogue: the Spartan legend.

Table of Contents

Cover -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Part I The Spartans and Their State -- Chapter 1 The social system of Sparta -- A. The Spartiates -- The traditional picture -- A ban on ostentation? -- B. The helots -- The nomenclature and origins of helots -- Helots and the system of ownership -- The size of the kleroi -- The number of the helots -- Tributes paid by helots -- Who owned the helots - the state or its citizens? -- Interpreting the state's interference -- The Spartan distrust of helots -- C. The perioikoi -- The perioikoi poleis -- D. Slaves -- E. Freed helots -- Freedmen -- F. The neodamodeis -- G. The hypomeiones -- H. The mothakes -- Chapter 2 The political system of Sparta -- A. Kings -- The origins of the dual kingship -- The scope of the kings' authority (timai) -- Powers in peacetime (eirenaia) -- Judicial powers -- Powers in times of war (ta empolemia) -- Judiciary powers -- The king's place among the homoioi -- The material status of kings -- Privileges in life -- Privileges in death -- The political significance of kings -- The kings vs. the gerousia -- The kings vs. the ephors -- The influence of kings -- B. The gerousia -- Choosing gerontes -- The age criterion and the number of gerontes -- Prerogatives -- C. The ephors -- When was the ephorate established? -- D. The apella -- The prerogatives of the apella -- Who put motions to the apella? -- Did real debates take place at the apellae? -- The method of voting -- E. The ruling elite -- Chapter 3 A Spartiate and his family -- The marriageable age -- Getting married -- The dowry and the three procedures of getting married -- The matrimonial situation, or the (extra-)marital strategies -- Fraternal polyandry? -- Extramarital relations -- Divorce -- The inspection of infants -- The girls -- The Spartan women.

Wanton women, sportswomen, heroic mothers? -- The emancipated Spartan women? -- A Spartan mother: the birth of a myth, or, from the history of a fantasy -- Chapter 4 The Spartan education -- Chapter 5 The syssitia -- Member contributions at the syssitia -- Number of members -- Accepting new members -- Age differences between members -- Boys at the syssitia -- The atmosphere at the syssitia -- Social hierarchy within syssitia -- Relations between syssitia members -- The hierarchy of syssitia -- Foreigners at the syssitia -- Meal times -- What was eaten and in what quantities? -- Service -- Table manners -- Military functions of the syssitia -- Did Sparta have its own symposia? -- Chapter 6 The universe of war -- Part II The History of Sparta in the Fifth and Fourth Centuries BC -- Chapter 7 The Sparta of Cleomenes and Leonidas -- The Peloponnesian League -- The Sparta of Cleomenes I -- The Persian Wars. Leonidas and Pausanias -- Chapter 8 Sparta between the wars -- Chapter 9 The Peloponnesian War -- Chapter 10 Sparta in the reign of Agesilaus -- The domestic situation in Sparta: the Rhetra of Epitadeus and Cinadon's plot -- The expedition to Asia -- The Corinthian War -- Chapter 11 In the shadow of Thebes and Macedonia -- Chapter 12 Sparta on the wane -- Agis IV and Cleomenes III -- Epilogue The afterlife. "Sparta", or the history of a myth -- The "imaginary Sparta" in later tradition -- "Sparta" in film -- "Sparta" in service -- "Sparta" in politics. The USA and Classical Greece -- "Sparta" of the twenty-first century? -- Sparta of the scholars, and more -- Sparta. A Bibliography -- Appendix 1: The list of Spartan kings -- Appendix 2: The list of Spartan ephors.