Briefly about what Sparta resembled a military camp

One of the most powerful city-states of Ancient Greece is Sparta. The only one that, during the wars for the unification of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great (IV century BC) was never defeated. Historians described how the ancient Sparta resembled a military camp and why the glory of the soldiers of the city survived the centuries. This was told about Zach Snyder's wonderful film "300 Spartans".

A bit of history

On the territory of South Greece, several settlements living on the banks of the river Evrdt united, calling themselves Sparta. Over time, they subdued first all of Laconia, and then the fertile Messenia, forcing the local people to work for themselves. They turned them into semi-slaves and called helots - "captured." Neighboring Athens condemned the inhabitants of the city for the fact that they enslaved the Greek tribesmen. Each Spartan had an allotment of land, but lived and worked on them helots, growing olives, grains, vegetables and other products. They could not leave their settlements and gave part of the harvest to the owners of allotments. Despite the fact that the helots were a large part of the population, the citizens managed to keep them subordinate, causing a logical question: what?

Sparta resembled a military camp, where the main occupation of local residents was military service, and the main honor - to die in battle. Sources say that after battles on the battlefield the first women left. They were looking for their loved ones, sons and husbands. For them it was important where the corpse of the warrior lay face. If he was focused on the enemy and the nature of the injury testified that the Spartan was fighting to the last, he was taken away and honored with betrayal to the ground. And if the nature of the injuries indicated that the warrior was confused, he was left on the battlefield to bury him in a common grave. Next, let us dwell in more detail on what Sparta resembled a military camp.

What measures did the military spirit take

Everything started from birth. Sparta needed real soldiers, so the main principle of education was proclaimed the following: every child belongs not to the family, but to the state. The newly-made father was obliged to take the newborn to the elders. The Council included residents over 60 years of age, attending meetings prior to their death. They decided whether the baby was strong enough to become a real protector of the state in the future. If their decision was positive, the son returned to the parents. If not, the baby was waiting for a terrible fate - it was thrown into the abyss.

At the age of seven, the sons were taken from the family, giving them upbringing that they considered necessary. The boys lived in detachments, at the head of which stood the most intelligent and brave of them. Orders were mandatory for everyone, whose fate was only to bear punishments. The esteemed Spartans supervised the detachments, the old elders also looked after them, trying to cause as many conflicts as possible. How did Sparta resemble a military camp? But the fact that the male population, since childhood, was separated from the family, spending time in constant training and deprivation. Conflicts were needed in order to observe the behavior of the guys, whether they are brave enough and stubborn. And deprivation forced them to get used to enduring the inconveniences coming in the field life. The boys wore half-naked to 12 years old, slept on straw litter, constantly improving in physical training.

Tests on the way to the rank of warrior

The most cruel entertainment that was allowed to teenage Spartans, was called "cryptia." The boys were allowed to raid the villages of the helots. They were engaged in looting, slaughtering cattle and even could deprive the lives of the strongest of men. This was considered a matter of honor. At the age of 17, the young men returned home, but before that they passed a test, many worth the health, and sometimes life. They had to get to the temple of Artemis, located in the mountains. Having overcome an easy path, they passed the ceremony of "sacrificing".

The priests hung the young men over a special bowl and whipped them to the blood. The main requirement was patience and the ability to endure pain without a single sound. If the young Spartan shouted, he was beaten until he lost consciousness. This is not an indication of what Sparta resembled a military camp. What measures did the formation of the best infantry of Ancient Greece achieve? The system of education, where full-fledged citizens had no choice but to be. Any manual labor was despised, trade and craft were prohibited. The real Spartan had to be a warrior.

Laconic speech

During the training, the young men were forced to briefly express their thoughts. They were not required to analyze and reflect. By the name of the province where the Spartans lived, even the expression "laconic speech" was formed. This is another illustration than Sparta resembled a military camp. Citizens were forbidden to travel to foreign lands, they were rarely visited by travelers, and they did not trade. Therefore, the legend of the unique shortness of speech characterizing the Spartans has been preserved in the history. The foreign king sent an envoy to intimidate the locals. He promised that if South Greece conquered, Sparta would cease to exist as a state. To which he received the answer: "If!"

In the city, never even fortified walls were built, its main defense was military men. They were always ready. Men were forbidden to dine at home. They took food in groups of 10-15 people. Their table was simple, but nutritious: vegetables, simple soup, occasionally cheese and meat. The observance of these rules was followed by the Council of Elders. The perpetrator could be fined if he were the commander himself.

Briefly: than Sparta resembled a military camp

Summarizing, we should highlight the main thing:

• Full-fledged citizens were trained exclusively for military service. The girls did not pass the training system, like boys, but they were also taught how to handle weapons and attached to sports. It was impossible to abandon the intended path.
• Education did not depend on the will of the parents. The state determined which citizens it wants to see. He needed physically strong, brave warriors who did not reflect on the meaning of life. This was sent to the entire system of education, in which the child was withdrawn from the family.
• Than Sparta resembled a military camp, so this is a constant readiness for military action, regular gymnastics and skills training in the fight against helots. The Athenians considered the neighbors ignorant, but those who accompanied the flute learned the heroic songs with which they were preparing to go into battle.

The heroism of the inhabitants of Sparta was sung in art. In the film "300 Spartans" the soldiers stopped the offensive of the powerful army of King Persia. It's just a legend, but who knows ...