Full Ancient Society Study Notes

Ancient Society; Spartan Society To The Battle Of Leuctra 371 BC SURVEY • The historical and geographical context, including: geographical setting, natural features and resources of ancient Sparta • Significant sites: Sparta FOCUS OF STUDY o The Great Rhetra: the issue of Lycurgus o Roles and privileges of the two kings o Government: ephorate, gerousia, ekklesia o Social structure and occupations: Spartiates, periokoi, ‘inferiors’, helots o Control of the helots: the military, syssitia, krypteia o The Spartan army: training (agoge), composition o Role and status of women: land ownership, inheritance, education o Marriage customs o Occupations o Land ownership: agriculture, kleroi, helots o Economic roles of the periokoi and helots o Technology: weapons, armour, pottery o Economic exchange: use of iron bars, trade o Gods and goddesses: Artemis Orthia, Poseidon, Apollo o Festivals: Hyakinthia, Gymnopaedia, Karneia o Religious role of the kings o Funerary customs and rituals o Myths and legends: Lycurgus and the Dioscuri o Art: sculpture, painted vases, bone and ivory carving o Architecture: Amyklaion, Menelaion, the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia o Writing and literature: Alcman and Tyrtaeus o Leisure activities o Greek writers’ views of Sparta: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Aristotle, Pausanias, Plutarch VOCABULARY – ANCIENT SOCIETIES