Essay on History of Ancient Sparta

Submitted By tlarson789
Words: 1425
Pages: 6
Open Document
History of Ancient Sparta

Sparta became very powerful in the 5th century B.C. This was caused by the other city states growing fear of Sparta’s armies. Their armies consisted of every male citizen of Sparta. This city-state focused on boys physical fitness, courage and obedience and they made sure the females were strong and healthy so that they could have good, strong children. This is why Sparta is known for being a military-minded city. What most people do not know is that before the military became a Spartan way of life, they were very much like the other Greek cities. Archeological evidence shows that Spartans had been a city home to poets and craftsmen who made beautiful luxury items and traded widely. This was only until their slave population, the Helots, turned on the Spartans. The Helots fought their Spartan masters for many years, but Sparta was victorious and became even more powerful. Even though they had won, Sparta feared that something like this could happen again so they decided to become constantly ready for battle and soon this developed into the Spartan way of life. Sparta’s rival was the city of Athens. This rivalry is what caused the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), which resulted in Athens' ruin and Sparta's supremacy. Sparta was destroyed by Visigoths in 396 A.D. The town is now called New Sparta and was built in 1834 after the War of Greek Independence. Population (1981 census), metropolitan area, 14,388.

Sparta became very powerful in the 5th century B.C. This was caused by the other city states growing fear of Sparta’s armies. Their armies consisted of every male citizen of Sparta. This city-state focused on boys physical fitness, courage and obedience and they made sure the females were strong and healthy so that they could have good, strong children. This is why Sparta is known for being a military-minded city. What most people do not know is that before the military became a Spartan way of life, they were very much like the other Greek cities. Archeological evidence shows that Spartans had been a city home to poets and craftsmen who made beautiful luxury items and traded widely. This was only until their slave population, the Helots, turned on the Spartans. The Helots fought their Spartan masters for many years, but Sparta was victorious and became even more powerful. Even though they had won, Sparta feared that something like this could happen again so they decided to become constantly ready for battle and soon this developed into the Spartan way of life. Sparta’s rival was the city of Athens. This rivalry is what caused the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), which resulted in Athens' ruin and Sparta's supremacy. Sparta was destroyed by Visigoths in 396 A.D. The town is now called New Sparta and was built in 1834 after the War of Greek Independence. Population (1981 census), metropolitan area, 14,388.
Sparta became very powerful in the 5th century B.C. This was caused by the other city states growing fear of Sparta’s armies. Their armies consisted of every male citizen of Sparta. This city-state focused on boys physical fitness, courage and obedience and they made sure the females were strong and healthy so that they could have good, strong children. This is why Sparta is known for being a military-minded city. What most people do not know is that before the military became a Spartan way of life, they were very much like the other Greek cities. Archeological evidence shows that Spartans had been a city home to poets and craftsmen who made beautiful luxury items and traded widely. This was only until their slave population, the Helots, turned on the Spartans. The Helots fought their Spartan masters for many years, but Sparta was victorious and became even more powerful. Even though they had won, Sparta feared that something like this could happen again so they decided to become constantly ready for battle and soon this developed into the Spartan way of life. Sparta’s rival
Show More

Related Documents: Essay on History of Ancient Sparta

Women In Ancient Athens

social structure in ancient Sparta women were able to have more freedom and access to rights and responsibilities, then women in ancient Athens. In comparing both civilizations we need to ask What legal rights did Spartan women have that Athenian women did not have? Or Was the education system in Athens fair and equitable to women, and how was Spartan education different? As well as to compare both cities we need to look at how was personal freedom different to Athens than Sparta? And lastly overall…

Words 1492 - Pages 6

Ancient Athens Vs Sparta

The Greeks were a people who began to appear around 2000 BCE. These people spoke their own language that became ancient Greek. Ancient Greeks fist settled the lands surrounding the Aegean Sea and began to form their own way of life, along with their own ideas and values. As time went on, their culture began to spread toward the Mediterranean and was later preserved by the Romans. In ancient Greece, their regions were separated into city-states. These city-states were called Polis. Although they were…

Words 519 - Pages 3

Battle Of Thermopylae Research Paper

A legacy of Ancient Greece that is most important is The Battle of Thermopylae. The battle of Thermopylae is the most important legacy because when the threat from the Persian emperor came to Athens they knew they had to be clever, so Athens forged a strong alliance with the other Greek city-states including Sparta, Sparta and Athens had been nemesis for many previous years. When they forged an alliance, the Athenians needed more time to think about the battle also because they had to fight over…

Words 582 - Pages 3

Gender Roles in Athens and Sparta Essay

Candice Green April 18 2013 Gender Roles in Athens and Sparta The ancient Greek city-states of Sparta and Athens are much known and have played a big role in history. Their ways and customs have affected the United States and many other countries around. Although they are both located in Greece these two city states are different in many ways. From governmental organizations to education these two are very different. The gender roles that are played by males and females , especially females…

Words 734 - Pages 3

Compare And Contrast Sparta And Athens

There were many empires throughout the history of Ancient Greece however, there are three specific empires that are well­known to this day. These three empires were Persia, Athens and Sparta all of which existed from 700BCE to 595BCE. Although these empires existed in the same time period, they have similar and different ways of dealing with their people including their government, their military and even the role of women. Persia, Athens and Sparta all had different types of governments. Persia was a monarchy…

Words 888 - Pages 4

Solon And Lycurgus Essay

Inferior Lycurgus. Of many ancient rulers, two are made very memorable. Lycurgus, ruler of Sparta, and Solon, ruler of Athens, made significant impacts on their polis that would continue throughout ancient Greek history. The reforms that were created by these rulers can be disputed in regards to their benefit on their city-state. The reforms Solon implemented were more efficacious in producing democratic change in Athens then those reforms that were executed in Sparta by Lycurgus. Due to the fact…

Words 985 - Pages 4

Plutarch On Sparta Summary

Plutarch on Sparta is a book where Richard J. A. Talbert and Ian Scott-Kilvert translated the works of Plutarch. This book covers the Sparta lives (written by Plutarch) of Lycurgus, Agesilaus, Agis, and Cleomenes. It also gives sayings of not only from Spartan men but also Spartan Women. This book gives details on Spartan Society. This book gives a timeline of Spartan Kings. This book also depicts the maps of Sparta. The authors of this book; which is the revised version are Richard J.A. Talbert…

Words 838 - Pages 4

How Is Sparta Successful

The Greek Polis of Sparta, established in the 9th century BCE, was one of the most militarily accomplished poleis of Ancient Greece. Its military power was rivaled by almost no other until its fall, and its citizens had their lives entirely dedicated to the military. Stated by McKay, as the leading Greek military power in the Archaic period, a process was created with credit given to Lycatius where it was most importantly dedicated to Sparta. They dedicated their whole lives to their Polis, with…

Words 1123 - Pages 5

A Battle of Historical Accuracy Essay

directed by Zack Snyder and based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel, King Leonidas of Sparta stands before the Persian ruler, or god-king, Xerxes and depicts to the audience an imagery of the bravery, loyalty, and determination of the Spartan army. This scene is just one of many that the film makers chose to include in this retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. The film 300 presents its audience with views of how ancient Athens functioned and how the Spartans and Persians presented themselves among…

Words 1243 - Pages 5

Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece Wesley Brookman HST 105 5/15/14 Ancient Greece-a society that shaped the world to come. There are several reasons I chose this particular society over all the others. One reason would be the way that ancient Greece existed as a large culmination of city-states (a city-state being a central city and its surrounding villages, which together follow the same law, have one form of government, and share languages, religious beliefs, and ways of life). Another reason…

Words 1247 - Pages 5