A General History for Colleges and High Schools

ed in the deep valley of the Eurotas, in Laconia, and took its name Sparta (sown land) from the circumstance that it was built upon tillable ground, whereas

nstitutions of the Spartans, we must first notice the three classes-Spartans (S

opulation. Their relations to the conquered people were those of an army of occupation. Sparta, their capital, was simply a vast cam

h?ans. They were allowed to retain possession of their lands, but were forced to pay tri

erty of the state, and not of the individual Spartan lords, among whom they were distributed by lot. Practically they had no rights which their Spartan masters felt boun

erhaps, than any similar institutions of the ancient world. A mystery and halo were thrown

stitutions of different lands, by converse with their priests and sages. He is said to have studied with great zeal the laws of Mi

aws during his absence, he set out on a pilgrimage to Delphi. In response to his inquiry, the oracle assured him that Sparta would endure and prosper as long as the people obeyed the laws he had gi

so-called Constitution of Lycurgus provided for two j

turies there were no attempts on the part of the Spartan kings to subvert the constitution. The power of the joint kings, it should be added, was rather nominal than real (save in time

a time, however, officers called ephors were elected by the Popular Assembly, and these gradually a

s were made, and questions of peace and war decided. In striking contrast to what was the custom at Athens

he lawgiver did much to remedy this ruinous state of affairs. Tradition says that all the lands were redistributed, an equal portion being assigned to each of the nine thousand

of the state. This, according to Plutarch, "was of great size and weight, and of small value, so that the equivalent for ten min? (about $140) required a gre

ch were often spread, Lycurgus ordered that all the Spartan citizens should eat at public and common tables. Excepting the ephors, none, not even the kings, were excuse

ns, is reported to have declared that now he understood the Spartan disregard of life i

The aim of the entire course, as to the boys, was to make a nation of soldiers who should despise toil and danger and prefer death to military dishonor. Reading and writing were untaught, and the art of rhetoric was despised. Spartan brevity was a proverb, whence our word laconic (from Laconia), implying a concise and pithy mode of expression. Boys w

ten he was scourged just for the purpose of accustoming his body to pain. Frequently,

ing been so unskilful as not to get safely away with their booty. This custom, as well as the fortitude of the Spartan youth, is familiar to all through the story of the

a means of rendering themselves ready and expert in war, to hunt and kill the Helots, seems in r

Greece abundantly attests. But when we consider the aim and object of the Spartan institutions, we must pronounce them low and unworthy. The true order of things was just reversed among the Laced?monians. Government exists for the individual: at Sparta

the lower. It illustrates, too, the fact that only those nations that labor to develop that which is best and highest in man mak

ar was the long contest with Messenia, known as the First and Second Messenian Wars (about 750-650 B.C.). Messenia was one of the

racle. So they sent Tyrt?us, a poet-schoolmaster, who they hoped and thought would prove of but little service to Sparta. Whatever truth there may be in this part of the story, it seems indisputable that during the Second Messenian W

ots of Laconia. Many, choosing exile, pushed out into the western seas in search of new homes. Some of the fugitives

Messenia, Sparta conquered the southern part of Argolis. All the s

hecked by Tegea, one of the few important Arcadian cities, Sparta entered into an alliance with that city, which ever after remained her fai

en beyond the limits of Hellas. Croesus, king of Lydia, sought an alliance with he