Spartan Society: Military Discipline, Education, and Roles

A Disciplined Society

Spartans valued military discipline. Even today, the word Spartan means highly disciplined or lacking comfort. Unlike Athenians, Spartans did not value luxury goods or beautiful buildings.

Education in Sparta

With Helots working the fields, Spartan males had plenty of time to train for military service. At seven, they were taken away from their homes for schooling at state expense. They lived together in BARRACKS: military houses. Spartan boys did not receive a well-rounded education. They spent most of their time exercising, hunting, and training with weapons. They were taught to obey orders automatically rather than to think for themselves. At the age of 18, young men began a 2-year program of military training to become part of a phalanx. During this time, the trainees could marry, but they were allowed little time for a life at home. Even after the age of 30, when they left the army, they spent most of their time with men.

Social Classes

To become full citizens, they had to enter a men's club of soldiers. If they failed, they became inferiors who would never gain citizenship and would live as outcasts. Men who won election to a men's club became known as equals. They had full citizens' rights. This included membership in the assembly and the right to a piece of state-owned land worked by Helots. At the age of 60, an equal became a candidate for election to the council of elders.

Role of Women

Spartan women were raised to be strong and vigorous. They participated in sports. By staying fit, they could have healthy babies who would grow into soldiers. Spartan women had a good deal of freedom and responsibility because their husbands spent almost their entire lives away at military camp. For these reasons, they had greater independence than women had in other Greek city-states.

Sparta and Athens

The discipline and training of Spartan life created a powerful army and stable government. But Spartan society feared individual inferences and change. Unlike the Spartans, the Athenians valued individual expressions and new ideas. As a result, Athens was open to change. The opposing values of Athens and Sparta helped create tensions between the two city-states.