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Things You Didn’t Know About Sparta
Sparta was one of the most important cities in ancient Greece, and the stories of its heroic warriors continue to be retold through modern films and stories. However, the popular image of Sparta propagates a version of Sparta, our version of Sparta, and this is often quite removed from the ancient sources and idealised. As such, this post includes some interesting facts (and theories) about ancient Sparta that you might not know, enjoy!
The first female Olympic victor was Spartan
Cynisca is someone more people should know about. She was the first woman to win at the Olympic games. She did this some 2412 years ago in 396 BCE (and again in 392 BCE). The event that she won both times was the four-horse chariot race.
To qualify this achievement, she did not actively race in the event herself, but, as was the custom, she trained and bred the horses that competed, and funded the chariot and its racer. That should by no means diminish Cynisca’s achievement though. The four-horse chariot race was a very aristocratic and highly praised event. Only the wealthiest of men could. In fact, women were not allowed within the sanctuary of Olympia while the games were on. For a woman to then win this event would have caused quite a stir!
However, while it is easy for us to see this first female victory and look favourably on it, not everyone in the ancient world would have. Xenophon, in his biographical work on Agesilaus II (Cynsica’s brother), claims that Agesilaus encouraged his sister to enter the chariot race in order to discredit it as a sporting event (it required no skill, only wealth). If this was Agesilaus’ intention, it did not work, and Cynsica’s achievement would later be praised in Sparta, where a hero shrine was established for her (Pausanias, 3.15.1).
In fact, we can still read Cynisca’s victory poem, dedicated at Olympia with a bronze statue for all to see:
The fragmentary victory poem of Cynisca.
Spartan kings are my fathers and brothers.
I Cynisca, victorious with the chariot of swift-footed horses,
Have erected this statue. I announce that
I am the only women in the whole of Greece to take this crown.
298, rather than 300, Spartans, died at Thermopylae
300 is probably the first thing that most people associate with Sparta, both the 2006 Zack Snyder film (based on the graphic novel), and that 300 Spartans fought at the infamous battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE. However, that is not quite true…
Two of the Spartans sent to Thermopylae did not die in the battle. Herodotus informs us that two Spartans, Eurytus and Aristodamus, were being treated for serious eye infections when they heard that the Persians had found a way around the pass so as to attack the Greek forces. Eurytus bravely charged into battle and died. Aristodamus stayed behind. He returned to Sparta with great shame (he later redeemed himself at the battle of Plataea where he died).
The second Spartan who avoided death at Thermopylae was Pantites. He was away at the time of battle bringing a message to Thessaly. When Pantites return to Sparta, he was so ashamed not have been in the battle that he hanged himself!
So, there we have it, 300 Spartans went to Thermopylae, and only Aristodamus and Pantites came back alive (though not for long).
The Spartans enslaved an entire population, the Helots
The darkest aspect of Sparta’s success was that, ultimately, it was enabled by the dehumanisation, subjugation, and enslavement of an entire people, the Helots, a population of Greeks who lived in Messenia.
The Helots were, in effect, agricultural slaves. The Spartans used them to work the land and provide food for the Spartan state. Helots were also recruited to fight for the Spartans when needed. However, there was a constant fear that the Helots might rise up again the Spartans (they outnumbered them massively).
As such, each year the Spartans ritually waged war on the Helots. One of the ways this ritual war manifested itself was through the Krypteia. The Krypteia was a sort of Spartan secret police, a body of young Spartan men chosen for their military potential and prowess. They were sent out to literally hunt and kill the strongest and most dissident of the Helots.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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