User:FishMan312/Lycurgus of Sparta

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Return to Sparta[edit]

After Lycurgus had been absent for a while, the Spartans wrote and begged Lycurgus to come back. As they admitted, only Lycurgus was really a king in their heart, although others wore a crown and claimed the title. He had the true foundation of sovereignty: a nature born to rule, and a talent for inspiring obedience. Even the Spartan kings wanted Lycurgus to return because they saw him as one who could protect them from the people.

Lycurgus had already decided that some fundamental changes would have to be made in Sparta. When he returned, he did not merely tinker with the laws, but instead followed the example of the wisest ephors to implement incremental change.

First, however, Lycurgus went to the Oracle at Delphi to ask for guidance. The Oracle told Lycurgus that his prayers had been heard and that the state which observed the laws of Lycurgus would become the most famous in the world. With such an endorsement, Lycurgus went to the leading men of Sparta and enlisted their support.

He began with his closest friends, then these friends widened the conspiracy by bringing in their own friends. When things were ripe for action, thirty of them appeared at dawn in the marketplace, fully armed for battle. At first, Charilaus thought they meant to kill him, and he ran for sanctuary in a temple, but eventually he joined the conspirators when he found out that all they wanted was to make sure there would be no opposition to the reforms Lycurgus had in mind.

Beliefs

The idea that Spartan women had to participate in physical exercise to produce strong spartans came from King Lycurgus. Lycurgus thought the labour of slave women sufficient to supply clothing. He believed motherhood to be the most important function of freeborn woman. Therefore, in the first place, he insisted on physical training for the female no less than for the male sex: moreover, he instituted races and trials of strength for women competitors as for men, believing that if both parents are strong they produce more vigorous offspring. Women in ancient Sparta would participate in activities such as running and wrestling; later texts also mention throwing the javelin and discus, boxing, and pankration.

Currency[edit]

Lycurgus, the famous Spartan lawgiver, put into Sparta’s constitution a provision that banned the circulation and possession of gold, silver, or other precious metals as a means of transacting business and replaced these forms of money with an iron currency, variously reported as being in the form of disc or bars. To further support equality, Lycurgus, according to Plutarch, forbade the use of gold and silver, using the strategy of introducing money called pelanors made of iron that had been quenched in a vinegar bath after being raised to red heat, rendering it too brittle for tool use. He also called in all gold and silver, in order to defeat greed and dependence on money. The new iron money, besides being intrinsically useless, was bulky and hard to transport. This action was seen by Plutarch as a way of also isolating Sparta from outside trade, stimulating the development of its internal arts and crafts so as to prevent foreign influences and the decadence of markets. This encumbering currency also rid Sparta of every crime in which the theft of hard currency was the objective.

I plan on reorganizing the currency section. I will add in more to contribute to this section. I will also cite the facts that the previous editors did not cite.

Common mess halls[edit]

Another way to create equality was the Spartan institution of the syssitia (τὰ συσσίτια), the practice that required all Spartan men to eat together in common mess halls. Plutarch describes the institution as consisting of companies ('syssitia', or 'eating-together' groups) of about fifteen men, each bound to bring in and contribute each month a bushel of meal, eight gallons of wine, five pounds of cheese, two and a half pounds of figs, and a small amount of money to buy meat or fish with. When any member made a personal sacrifice to the gods, he would send some portion to the syssition, and when any member hunted, he sent part of the animal he had killed, to share with his messmates. Personal sacrifices of this sort and hunting were the only excuses that allowed a man to justify eating at his own home, instead of with the mess hall (syssition): otherwise, men were expected to eat daily with their syssition comrades. Even kings were apparently expected to take part in a mess hall, and were not to eat privately at home with their wives. Spartan women apparently ate together with and spent most of their time with each other, and not their husbands or sons older than seven (see below on the agoge).

I plan on citing a lot of the facts under the section Common Mess Halls. I will also add to the paragraph

Warefare

Lycurgus bans continuous warfare against the same opponents to prevent them from adapting to Spartan military tactics and gaining an advantage over them.

Lycurgus is known for his work after the Helot's revolt around the 7th century. During the Helots revolution, much of Sparta was destroyed and needed new change for prevention of another uprising. It is believed that Lycurgus thought of the idea for two sections of power in ancient Sparta, these being the two ruling Kings along with a council of elders (Gerousia), and the second being an assembly (the Apella).

Common mess halls[edit]

Another way to create equality was the Spartan institution of the syssitia (τὰ συσσίτια), the practice that required all Spartan men to eat together in common mess halls. With the creation of mess-halls, everybody ate the same foods thus creating a feeling of equality. Plutarch describes the institution as consisting of companies ('syssitia', or 'eating-together' groups) of about fifteen men, each bound to bring in and contribute each month a bushel of meal, eight gallons of wine, five pounds of cheese, two and a half pounds of figs, and a small amount of money to buy meat or fish with. When any member made a personal sacrifice to the gods, he would send some portion to the syssition, and when any member hunted, he sent part of the animal he had killed, to share with his messmates. Personal sacrifices of this sort and hunting were the only excuses that allowed a man to justify eating at his own home, instead of with the mess hall (syssition): otherwise, men were expected to eat daily with their syssition comrades. Even kings were apparently expected to take part in a mess hall, and were not to eat privately at home with their wives. Spartan women apparently ate together with and spent most of their time with each other, and not their husbands or sons older than seven (see below on the agoge).

Lycurgus and the Oracle of Delphi[edit]

In Spartan society, the Oracle of Delphi is often looked upon for guidance and predictions. After Lycurgus returned from his journey from Crete studying Cretan law code, he decided to consult the Oracle of Delphi for guidance before bringing new changes to Spartan society. Lycurgus knew that if he gained the acceptance of the Oracle, that he would have more authority because of the reputation the Oracle of Delphi had. The Oracle told Lycurgus that "His prayers had been heard and that the state which observed the laws of Lycurgus would become the most famous in the world". With such an endorsement, Lycurgus went to the leading men of Sparta and enlisted their support. The Oracle would go on to play in an important role for the laws brought in by Lycurgus to be accepted.

Head of Lycurgus, from the marble in the Vatican Museum

Close up sideview of a statue of Lycurgus of Sparta. This photo was taken by Matt Popovich at the The Palace of Justice of Brussels or Law Courts of Brussels)