7/19/2023 0 Comments Sparta iron moneyAt the end of the passage he calls him Λακεδαιμόνιον, but, as seen above, Spartiates are a subset of this group, and at this point the term Λακεδαιμόνιον is used to emphasize Dieneces’ inclusivity within the larger mixed force. He presents Λακεδαιμόνιοι as an umbrella term, from among whom the perioeci (περιοίκων) must come and participate in the funeral apart from (in addition to) the Spartans (χωρὶς Σπαρτιητέων).Īnother example is extolling the performance of Dieneces at the battle of Thermopylae (Herodotus 7.226), where Herodotus explicitly qualifies him as "Spartiate" to distinguish him from the larger Lakedaemonian force. One of the clearest examples of this terminological distinction is when Herodotus speaks of royal burial custom (6.58.2). These seem to be differentiated (although not always consistently ) in a manner revealing intimate perioecic interaction with Spartiates. In Herodotus one can observe the various uses of the terms Λακεδαιμόνιοι and Σπαρτιήται. One way of glimpsing at the possibilities of social mobility is to observe the various contexts in which non-Spartiates are closely involved with their superior peers. The fact that mobility is attested from the earliest strands of the literary tradition (Herodotus), such as the helot and Lakedaemonian "hoplites" at Thermopylae (see below), should suggest that the system was, in principle, much less rigid. ![]() But, the strict division of Spartan society into Spartiates, perioeci and helots is schematic at best.Īt times the Spartan system has been characterized as "completely closed and rigid", but there is little justification for this view. Trading with Sparta was also difficult because they did not use coins, instead they used heavy iron bars as their money.The traditional view of Spartan society is a three-tiered division, with helots, an enslaved servant class, on the bottom, the Spartiates (also called ὅμοιοι, "equals") at the top, and the περιοίκοι ("those who live around ") as a second-class population handling most of the trade and crafts so that the "equals" can dedicate themselves to the art of war. The Spartans feared that contact with other city-states would lead to new ideas and weaken their government. They also conducted some trade with the other city-states. The periokoi made such neccesary items as shoes, red cloaks for the soldiers, iron tools like knives and spears, and pottery. They could serve in the army when needed, but they could not participate in the government. The Spartans also made use of non citizens, called periokoi. These helots were allowed to continue to live in their own villages, but they were forced to give much of the food they grew to the Spartan citizens. The Spartans would turn the people they conquered into slaves called helots. Because Spartan men spent their lives as warriors, Sparta had to use slaves and non citizens to produce goods. ![]() Sparta did not have enough land to feed all its people, so they took the land they needed from their neighbors. Unlike Athens, Sparta's economy relied on both farming and conquering other people.
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