Sparta essays

Sparta essays Sparta was a well known city-state in the low hills of the west bank of the Eurotas River. The Spartan terriotory was made up of the provinces of Laconia and Messenia. In 800bc, Sparta was a monarchy with a limited oligarchy. However, in 725bc, the Spartans were in need of land for their vast growth of people. So, they marched over to the Taygetos mountains and joined all their territory with the Messinians by conquering al their land. The Messenians did not appreciate their loss of independence, so they revolted against the Spartans. Almost in a defeat, the Spartans invented a new political system: they turned their city-state into what amounts to a military state. This in turn made the Spartans known for their brutality, armed camps. Not being able to be destroyed for 300 centuries. The Spartan society was divided into 3 main classes. At the top, the Spartiate, served in the army and was the only class of people who enjoyed the full political and legal rights of the state. The middle class consisted of the perioeci. Theses were foreigners in which did all the trade and commerce of the city-state. Because their jobs were so vital, they were allowed a great amount of freedom. The lowest class consisted of the helots. Near like slaves, who sis all the farm work for their Spartan masters under forced labor. It was up to the council to decide when each child was born whether it would was healthy or not. If decided unhealthy, the babies were left on a hill to die. The healthy boy, was left to live. By the age of seven the child was to be put into military training. By the age of twenty they were to joined the armed forces. At the age of thirty they were to be married. And finally at the age of sixty the men were allowed to retire. The females took up gymanastics and wrestling. They were allowed to own land under their names, to shop to have opinions in the state, but they were not allowe do tbe apart of the council. ...