Geography & Social Structure
In which region of the Peloponnese was Sparta located?
How many kings ruled Sparta at the same time?
Two
What type of heavily armed infantry soldier formed the core of the Spartan army?
Hoplite
Which group performed most agricultural labour in Sparta?
Helots
Which goddess was worshipped at one of Sparta’s most important sanctuaries and was particularly associated with young Spartans?
Artemis Orthia
What was the name given to Sparta’s full male citizen class?
Spartiates / Homoioi
What was the name of the Spartan citizens’ assembly?
Ekklesia / Apella
At approximately what age did Spartan boys traditionally enter the agoge?
Seven
What was the name given to a Spartiate’s allotment of land?
Kleros (kleroi plural)
Which Spartan poet celebrated military courage and encouraged Spartans to fight for their polis?
Tyrtaeus
Which social group lived in communities surrounding Sparta and played an important role in craft and trade?
Perioikoi
What council consisted of 28 elders over the age of 60 plus the two kings?
Gerousia
What was the name of the compulsory common mess to which adult male citizens were expected to contribute?
Syssitia
Which group was particularly important in Spartan manufacturing, craftsmanship and external trade?
Perioikoi
Which festival honouring Apollo could affect Spartan military campaigning because of its religious importance?
Karneia
What mountain range to the west of Sparta helped provide the polis with natural protection?
The Taygetus Mountains
What group of five annually elected officials could supervise and even bring charges against the Spartan kings?
Ephors
What institution involved selected young Spartans operating against the helot population and helped reinforce Spartan control?
Krypteia
Name one way in which the lives of Spartan women differed significantly from those of women in many other Greek poleis.
Examples: physical education, land ownership/inheritance, greater economic influence
Which ancient writer provides a particularly favourable account of the Spartan political and educational system in the Constitution of the Lacedaemonians?
Xenophon
What river flowed through the fertile valley in which Sparta was located and helped support agriculture?
The Eurotas River
According to tradition, what document established the basic structure of Spartan government and was associated with Lycurgus?
The Great Rhetra
What annual action by the ephors allowed Spartans to kill helots without incurring the normal religious pollution associated with murder?
A formal declaration of war on the helots
What form of currency was Sparta traditionally said to use to discourage the accumulation of wealth and luxury?
Iron bars
Why must historians use Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus cautiously when reconstructing early Spartan society?
Plutarch wrote centuries after the period he describes and relied on earlier traditions and sources, making it difficult to separate historical fact from later legend.