Sparta is ... The history of Sparta. Warriors of Sparta. Sparta - the heyday of the empire

In the south-east of the largest Greek peninsula - the Peloponnese - once there was a powerful Sparta. This state was in the region of Lakonia, in the picturesque valley of the River Evrot. Its official name, which was most often mentioned in international treaties, is Lacedaemon. It was from this state that such concepts as "Spartan" and "Spartan" went. Everyone also heard about the cruel customs that developed in this ancient policy: to kill the weak newborns in order to support the gene pool of their nation.

History of occurrence

Officially, Sparta, which was called Lacedaemon (from this word the name of the noma - Lakonia also occurred), arose in the eleventh century BC. After a while, the whole area, on which this city-state was located, was captured by Dorian tribes. The same, assimilated with local Achaeans, became Spartakiats in the sense known today, and the former inhabitants were turned into slaves, called helots.

The most Doric of all the states that once knew Ancient Greece, Sparta, was on the west coast of Evrot, on the site of the modern city of the same name. Its name can be translated as "scattered". It consisted of estates and estates, which were scattered throughout Laconia. And the center was a low hill, which later became known as the acropolis. Initially, Sparta had no walls and remained true to this principle until the second century BC.

State system of Sparta

It was based on the principle of the unity of all full citizens of the policy. For this, the state and law of Sparta strictly regulated the life and life of their subjects, restraining their property stratification. The foundations of such a social system were laid by the treaty of the legendary Lycurgus. According to him, the duties of the Spartans were only doing sports or martial arts, and crafts, agriculture and trade were a matter of helots and peri-oaks.

As a result, the system established by Lycurg transformed the Spartaat military democracy into an oligarchic-slave-owning republic, which, at the same time, still retained certain signs of the tribal system. It did not allow private ownership of land, which was divided into equal parcels, considered the property of the community and not subject to sale. Slaves-ilots also, as historians suppose, belonged to the state, and not to the rich citizens.

Sparta is one of the few states, at the head of which at the same time there were two czars at once, who were called archhages. Their power was inherited. The powers that each king of Sparta possessed were reduced not only to military power, but also to the organization of sacrifices, as well as to participation in the council of elders.

The latter was called Gerusia and consisted of two archagogets and twenty-eight Gerontas. Elders elected the people's congress for life only from the Spartan nobility who reached the age of sixty. Herusia in Sparta served as a government body. She prepared questions that needed to be discussed in the people's congresses, as well as led foreign policy. In addition, the Council of Elders considered criminal cases, as well as state crimes, including, and against the archagogets.

Court

Judicial proceedings and the right of ancient Sparta were regulated by the Board of Efor. For the first time this organ appeared in the eighth century BC. It consisted of five most worthy citizens of the state, whom the people's assembly elected for just one year. Initially, the powers of efors were limited only to the judicial proceedings of property disputes. But already in the sixth century BC their power and authority are growing. Gradually they begin to displace the Gerusia. Efor were given the right to convene a people's congress and gerusii, regulate foreign policy, carry out the internal management of Sparta and its judicial proceedings. This body was so important in the social structure of the state that it had the power to control officials, including the archagogets.

The National Assembly

Sparta is a model of an aristocratic state. In order to suppress the involuntary population, whose representatives were called helots, artificially restrained the development of private property, so that equality among the Spartans themselves was maintained.

Appearance, or the people's assembly, in Sparta was marked by passivity. The right to participate in this body had only full-fledged male citizens who reached the age of thirty. Initially, the people's congregation convened the archagiets, but later the leadership also transferred to the Efor board. Apella could not discuss the issues raised, she only rejected or accepted the solution she proposed. The members of the People's Assembly voted very primitively: shouting out or dividing the participants on different sides, after which the majority was determined by eye.

Population

The inhabitants of the Lacedaemonian state have always been classically unequal. This situation was created by the social order of Sparta, which foresaw three classes: the elite, peri-enes - free residents from nearby towns that do not have the right to vote, and state slaves - helots.

The Spartans, who were in privileged conditions, were engaged exclusively in the war. They were far from trade, crafts and agriculture, all this was as a right given to the pereeks. At the same time, the estates of elite Spartans were handled by the helots, whom the latter rented from the state. During the heyday of the state, the nobles were five times smaller than the peri-akes, and at ten-helots.

History of Sparta

All periods of existence of this one of the most ancient states can be divided into prehistoric, antique, classical, Roman and Hellenistic epochs. Each of them left its imprint not only in the formation of the ancient state of Sparta. Greece has borrowed a lot from this history in the process of its formation.

Prehistoric era

On the Lakonian lands originally lived leleges, but after the capture of the Peloponnese by the Dorians this area, which was always considered the most barren and in general insignificant, as a result of deception got to two minor sons of the legendary king Aristodem - Evrisfen and Prokl.

Soon the main city of Lacedaemon was Sparta, the structure of which for a long time was not distinguished from other Doric states. She waged constant external wars with neighboring Argos or Arcadian cities. The most significant rise comes at the time of the reign of Lycurgus - the ancient Dutch legislator, to whom ancient historians unanimously attribute the political structure, which later dominated in Sparta for several centuries.

The ancient era

After the victory in the wars, lasting from 743 to 723 and from 685 to 668 years. BC, Sparta was able to finally defeat and capture Messenia. As a result, its ancient inhabitants were deprived of their lands and turned into helots. Six years later, Sparta won incredible efforts and the Arcadian, and in 660 BC. E. Forced Tegei to recognize its hegemony. According to the contract, stored on the column placed near Alfea, she forced her to conclude a military alliance. It was from this time that Sparta in the eyes of the peoples began to be considered the first state of Greece.

The history of Sparta at this stage boils down to the fact that its inhabitants began to make attempts to overthrow the tyrants that appeared from the seventh millennium BC. E. Practically in all Greek states. It was the Spartans who helped expel the Kipselids from Corinth, the Pisistratov from Athens, they contributed to the liberation of Sicyon and Phocis, as well as several islands in the Aegean Sea, thereby gaining grateful supporters in different states.

History of Sparta in the classical era

Having concluded an alliance with Tegea and Elida, the Spartans began to attract to their side and the rest of the cities of Laconia and neighboring regions. As a result, the Peloponnesian Union was formed, the hegemony in which Sparta assumed. These were wonderful times for her: she guided the wars, was the center of meetings and all meetings of the Union, without encroaching on the independence of individual states that retained autonomy.

Sparta never tried to spread her power to the Peloponnese, but the threat of danger pushed all other states, with the exception of Argos, during the Greco-Persian wars to go under her protection. Eliminating the danger directly, the Spartans, realizing that they could not wage war against the Persians far from their own borders, did not object when Athens took over the leading leadership in the war, confining itself to the peninsula.

Since that time, signs of rivalry between the two states have started to show up, later poured into the First Peloponnesian War, which ended in the Thirty Years' World. Combat actions not only broke the power of Athens and established the hegemony of Sparta, but also led to a gradual violation of its foundations - the legislation of Lycurgus.

As a result, in 397 BC, the uprising of the Kinadon occurred, which, however, was not crowned with success. However, after certain setbacks, especially the defeat at the Battle of Cnidus in 394 BC. Sparta lost to Asia Minor, but became the judge and mediator in Greek affairs, thus motivating its policy with the freedom of all states, and was able to secure the supremacy in alliance with Persia. And only Thebes did not obey the conditions, thus depriving Sparta of the advantages of such a shameful world for her.

Hellenistic and Roman era

Since these years, the state has become quite quickly decay. Depleted and burdened with debts of its citizens, Sparta, whose system was based on the legislation of Lycurgus, turned into an empty form of government. An alliance was concluded with the Focaeans. And although the Spartans also sent them help, they did not provide real support. In the absence of Alexander the Great, the king Agis, with the help of the money received from Darius, attempted to get rid of the Macedonian yoke. But he, having failed in the battles at Megapolis, was killed. Gradually began to disappear and became the nominal spirit, which Sparta was so famous for.

The heyday of the empire

Sparta is a state that for three centuries has been the envy of all of ancient Greece. Between the eighth and fifth centuries BC it was a conglomeration of hundreds of cities, often at war with each other. One of the key figures for the emergence of Sparta as a powerful and strong state was Lycurgus. Prior to his appearance, it was not much different from the rest of the ancient Greek polis-states. But with the advent of Lycurgus, the situation changed, and priorities in development were given to the art of war. From that moment, Lacedaemon began to transform. And it is for this period that his heyday comes.

Since the eighth century BC. E. Sparta began to wage a war of conquest, subduing one after another its neighbors in the Peloponnese. After a succession of successful military operations, Sparta proceeded to establish diplomatic relations with the strongest of its opponents. Having concluded several treaties, Lacedaemon took over the Union of the Peloponnesian States, considered one of the most powerful formations of ancient Greece. The creation of this alliance by Sparta should serve to repel the Persian invasion.

The state of Sparta was a mystery to historians. The Greeks not only admired his citizens, but were afraid of them. One kind of bronze shields and scarlet raincoats worn by the warriors of Sparta, turned opponents to flight, forcing them to capitulate.

Not only the enemies, but also the Greeks themselves did not really like it when the army, even a small one, was located next to them. It was explained very simply: the soldiers of Sparta had a reputation of invincible. The sight of their phalanx brought even panic-stricken species into a state of panic. And although in the battles in those days only a small number of fighters participated, however, they never lasted long.

The beginning of the decline of the empire

But at the beginning of the fifth century BC. E. A massive invasion, undertaken from the East, served as the beginning of the decline of Sparta's might. A huge Persian empire, always dreaming of expanding its territories, sent a large army to Greece. Two hundred thousand people stood at the borders of Hellas. But the Greeks, led by the Spartans, accepted the challenge.

Tsar Leonid

Being the son of Anaxandrid, this king belonged to the dynasty of Agiads. After the death of his elder brothers, Doria and Clement the First, the board was assumed by Leonidas. Sparta in 480 years before our era was in a state of war with Persia. And the name of Leonid is associated with the immortal feat of the Spartans, when in the Thermopile gorge there was a battle left in history for centuries.

It happened in 480 BC. E., when the hordes of the Persian king Xerxes tried to seize the narrow passage that connects Central Greece with Thessaly. At the head of the troops, including allied ones, was Tsar Leonid. Sparta at that time occupied the leading position among friendly states. But Xerxes, taking advantage of the betrayal of the dissatisfied, went around the Thermopil canyon and went into the rear of the Greeks.

Warriors of Sparta

Learning about this, Leonid, who fought along with his soldiers, dismissed allied forces, sending them to their homes. And with a handful of soldiers, numbering only three hundred people, stood in the way of the twenty-thousand-strong Persian army. The Thermopil canyon was strategic for the Greeks. In case of defeat, they would be cut off from Central Greece, and their fate would be sealed.

For four days the Persians were unable to break the incomparably smaller enemy forces. Heroes of Sparta fought like lions. But the forces were unequal.

Fearless warriors of Sparta perished all to one. Together with them, their king Leonid, who did not want to give up his comrades, fought to the very end.

The name of Leonid forever went down in history. Chroniclers, including Herodotus, wrote: "Many kings have died and have long been forgotten. But Leonidas know and respect everything. His name will always be remembered by Sparta, Greece. And not because he was a king, but because he fulfilled his duty to the country until the end and died as a hero. About this episode in the life of the heroic Hellenes films are made, books are written.

The feat of the Spartans

The Persian king Xerxes, who was not abandoned by the dream of conquering Hellas, invaded Greece in the year 480 BC. At this time, the Hellenes conducted the Olympic Games. The Spartans were preparing to celebrate Carney.

Both these holidays obliged the Greeks to observe the sacred truce. This was one of the main reasons why only a small detachment confronted the Persians in the Thermopil canyon.

Towards the thousands-strong army of Xerxes sent a detachment of three hundred Spartans, led by Tsar Leonid. Warriors were selected on the principle of having children. On the way to Leonid's militia there were joined a thousand people of the Thegeists, Arcadians and Mantineans, and also one hundred and twenty - from Orchomen. From Corinth, four hundred soldiers were sent, from Fliunte and Mycenae - three hundred.

When this small army approached the Thermopyl Pass and saw the number of Persians, many warriors were frightened and began to talk about the retreat. Some of the allies proposed to withdraw to the peninsula in order to protect Isthm. However, others were indignant at such a decision. Leonid, ordered the army to stay in place, sent messengers to all the cities with a request for help, because they had too few soldiers to successfully repulse the Persian attack.

For four days, Tsar Xerxes, hoping that the Greeks would flee, did not start fighting. But when he saw that this was not happening, he sent the Cassies and Medes against them with the order to take Leonid alive and bring him to him. Those swiftly attacked the Hellenes. Every attack of the Medes ended in huge losses, but others came to the place of the fallen. It was then that both the Spartans and the Persians realized that Xerxes had many people, but few of them were soldiers. The battle lasted all day.

Having received a resolute rebuff, the Medes had to retreat. But they were replaced by the Persians, led by Guidarn. Xerxes called them "immortal" detachment and hoped that they would easily end with the Spartans. But they were not able to achieve great success in the hand-to-hand fight, just like the Medes.

The Persians had to fight in tightness, and with shorter spears, whereas in the Hellenes they were longer, which in this duel gave a certain advantage.

At night, the Spartans again attacked the Persian camp. They managed to kill many enemies, but their main goal was defeat in the general turmoil of Xerxes himself. And only when it was light, the Persians saw the small number of the detachment of King Leonid. They pelted the Spartans with spears and finished off with arrows.

The road to Middle Greece for the Persians was opened. Xerxes personally inspected the battlefield. Finding the deceased Spartan king, he ordered him to cut off his head and put her on the stake.

There is a legend that King Leonid, going to Thermopylae, clearly understood that he would perish, so when asked by his wife when he said good-bye what orders he would order, he ordered to find a good husband and give birth to his sons. This was the vital position of the Spartans, ready to die for their country on the battlefield, in order to receive the crown of glory.

The beginning of the Peloponnesian War

After some time, the Greek politicians who were at war with each other united and could rebuff Xerxes. But, despite the joint victory over the Persians, the union between Sparta and Athens did not last long. In 431 BC. E. The Peloponnesian War broke out. And only a few decades later the Spartan state won the victory.

But not everyone in Ancient Greece liked the supremacy of Lacedaemon. Therefore, half a century later, new fighting broke out. This time, his rivals were Thebes, who with the allies managed to inflict a serious defeat on Sparta. As a result, the power of the state was lost.

Conclusion

It was such an ancient Sparta. She was one of the main contenders for primacy and primacy in the ancient Greek picture of the world. Some milestones of Spartan history are sung in the works of the great Homer. A special place among them is the outstanding "Iliad".

And now from this glorious polis nowadays there are only ruins of some of its constructions and unfading glory. Before the contemporaries came the legend of the heroism of its soldiers, as well as a small town with the same name in the south of the Peloponnese Peninsula.