Greece is a piece of land where every inch deserves a few acres of history. Geographically speaking, it is doted with thousands of islands; historically, it produced a civilization that is by far the most fertile and most long lasting by any standards of human civilization. To enlist the achievements of Greek civilization is simply not possible here.
Nevertheless, it may suffice to say that today’s western world is an infant child of their Greek ancestors. We hardly find anything there, and perhaps elsewhere, that is not Greek in its origin. May it be arts, literature, science, philosophy, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, geometry, sculpture, architecture, religion, superstitions taboos and what not, all are Greek, though sometimes labelled with new names. At the same time, it must not be forgotten that the Greeks also inherited some aspects of their civilization from a few external sources; and naturally so.
Of course, in the hierarchical order, they come after Mesopotamia, Egypt and Babylon but what is significant about them is the fact that no other civilization since has so widely and so deeply influenced the course of future history. That is why they say that the history of Greece is less the past and more the present and the future. There are two angles from which we see this long lasting impact of the Greek civilization: first, the nature of Greek influence, and second, the extent or the degree of it. (Having said this,) I must make it clear that I am going to talk here about neither of the two.
What I will talk to you about is one very small segment of this civilization, which otherwise has become quite obscure under the dust of time. At the very outset, let me apprise you gentlemen that centuries before Christ, the Greeks had organised themselves, socially and politically, in the form of city-states, which simultaneously, became their strength as well as weakness. While we all know Athens as the torch bearer of Greek civilization, there is another friend and foe of Athens which is known as the Greek City State of Sparta.
And it is this city-state of Sparta with its social, political and military institutions which remains the focus of my talk today. For this purpose, it is important to refer to the map to have a general idea of what we shall be talking about. So our spotlight will remain focussed here, in and around Sparta. Now these city states were almost independent. We call them almost independent because in all internal affairs they would rival each other, for example in trade and military power, but to face the common threat of foreign invasion, of course from Persia, they would pose a united front.
So whenever they were threatened by invasion, they stood united; but in the absence of it, they would remain hostile to each other. And finally, it was this inter-state hostility that broke them to pieces. Athens & Sparta Emerge as the Most Powerful Rivals. With the passage of time, Athens and Sparta grew in strength, but also in mutual rivalry, which can be attributed to two factors: one the ambition for power, and second, the economic ambition manifested through trade and commerce. It makes a very interesting study to compare and contrast the characteristic features of these two rivals.
Both run parallel to each other as the spearheads of two different tendencies. (To sum them up in the shortest possible terms: one is arms, the other, arts. ) While having presumed that we know much about Athens or Greece in general, Sparta has been relatively less known to us. This is because where Athens contributed something universal in the Epic of human civilization, the Spartans remained blinded by only one aspect of it, i.e. ; survival through the fittest military means. In other words, Sparta symbolises the military muscle of Greece.
It is known for the strange philosophy and practices of life. And it is this bizarre element of Spartan life which remains our point of concern today. Sparta . Like other Greek city-states, was a union or the commonwealth of five villages or towns; (these include Pitane, Limnae, Mesoa and Cunosura) all united under the military leadership of Sparta. (It was in the Mycenean period that Sparta reached the height of its glory. ) Apart from other aspects, it is unique for having two kings, perhaps to introduce the system of checks and balances.
I am sure we all do remember, rather recognize the face that launched a thousand ships and burnt the topless tower of Ileum. (Here show Hellen’s portrait) Nevertheless, to refresh your memories, this face, known to us as Hellen, was the queen of Sparta; and she is called Hellen of Troy because she eloped with the prince of Troy named Paris. It was to liberate her that a thousand ships were launched by the Spartans and other Greek armies. 11. Having skipped all their history and geography that made Sparta a unique kind of existence, I directly come to their institutions, especially their military demeanour.
To start with, we must know the poet, lawmaker and philosopher Lycurgus who existed somewhere between 900-600 B. C. He gave the first ever constitution to the state of Sparta. And it is under the constitution of Lycurgus that we shall steel a look from Spartan society. This constitution is considered as the most unpleasant and astonishing body of legislation in all history. In fact, before Lycurgus, there was some tradition of fine arts in the Spartan society. They did love music, dance and singing etc. (But as history tells us, this little Renaissance was ended by the Messinian wars. But there were two factors which entirely changed the direction of Spartan thinking: one the frequency of wars (with other Greek states and with foreign powers like Persia); and second, more than 60% population consisted of the slaves whom they had conquered. They were under-privileged subjects and did not have the status of citizens; and most often, they remained on the verge of revolt by ceasing any possible opportunity.
So the Spartan ruling class always lived under the threat of revolt by these slaves. (Sparta remained at war in some form or the other, with this or that state, almost at all times. With these two factors consistently being felt, the Spartan arts, and especially the art of music, took a martial twist, and became patriotic or martial in its disposition. The Spartan military command decided to hypnotize their subjects under the spell of compulsive patriotism. The first and last obsession with Spartans became their military muscle. And hence, it sneaked into their life as the only ambition and virtue. Everything was reduced to the slavery of military ambition; every art was made to serve the art of warfare. The words ‘soldier’ and ‘citizen’ became synonymous (with each other). The tendency continued and a time came when all public gatherings became subject to patriotic sentiment. It gave the Spartan leaders an opportunity to exercise their command and control, as every voice was subject to the leader. Such occasions provided a powerful stimulus to the patriotic sentiment. The famous musicians attributed their songs to the glory of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the state. Everything aimed at the worship of a war hero. Truly speaking, Sparta remains the pioneer of modern concepts of nationalism and patriotism.
One wonders how old are the ways of modern man. The Constitution of Lycurgus 16. The Lycurgian constitution is the first legal document framed for Sparta and it is a linchpin to understand the Spartan disposition, because it was under this institution that Sparta became distinguished and remained so till the end. We learn that it was the beginning of changing customs into law. Sparta remains loyal to this constitution so rigidly that when it was most needed by the circumstance to show flexibility, it did not; so it broke. And what is more pathetic is that it left nothing behind as a memory to cherish. The police of the state, along with the army, was responsible to enforce law and order. But, the most conspicuous was the secret police which enjoyed endless powers, including the right of extra judicial killing. They would spy upon the slaves who fought with courage in the event of war. It is something more interesting and less amazing to note that the slaves would become the first victims of the secret police on the plea that since they are capable of fighting well, so they could be dangerous and a possible cause of rebellion, and a threat to power.
Occasions have been recorded when more than 2000 were selected in one go. No whereabouts were found of them from that very moment. 18. The characteristic ideal of Spartan life was its armed forces. Every citizen was trained for war, hence the concept of compulsory military training originated in Sparta. Out of this ruthless military training came the hoplites (or warriors) of Sparta, those infantry citizens who stood undefeated for a long time (though not for ever till their defeat at Leuctra, year? ).
Around this brainless army of muscular strength, Sparta formed its moral code; to be good was to be strong and brave; to die in battle was the highest honour and happiness; to survive defeat was a disgrace that even the soldier’s mother could not forgive. Survival of the fittest was the nucleus of the Spartan universe. The Object of Grooming. The object of grooming the Spartan youth was clear and precise. Military muscle is the only protection against threats of invasion; art, intellect and luxury are intriguing serpents that if allowed to sneak in, eat up the individuals and finally put an end to the life of a nation. 1. It needed the boys at 6 or 7 to be taken to the military academy, with no roof over the head, no shoes under the feet, and with no tangible food to eat. Nature was kind enough to deliver the mountains in abundance in the surrounding vicinity of Sparta. Mount Taygetus is the most prominent among them. 22. The first step was the Eugenics. The Spartan father had a right to kill the boy if he found in him the signs of cowardice or any kind of physical defect. Infanticide was less a theory, more a practice. Any child that appeared defective was thrown down from a cliff of Mount Taygetus, to die or survive.
If he dies, a step in the purification of the state had been achieved; if not, the gods above had saved him for the services to the state. 23. Men and Women Must not Marry for the Sake of Love, ignoring the principles of health. Producing defected children was crime against the state, liable to punishment. Healthy boy was the most precious asset of the state; exposing him to hardships was the best medicine and nourishment for him. Even a king, Archidamus, was fined for marrying a defective wife. Spartan husbands were encouraged to lend their wives to the men of exceptional calibre to multiply the healthy assets for the state.
In the general opinion of antiquity, Spartan males were stronger and more handsome, and their women healthier and lovelier, than the other Greeks. Men by birth were considered equal in strength and calibre; it was the environment that made them an asset or a liability. The toughest possible training, therefore, was the best and the only yardstick for the fittest men. We wonder how old are the new tactics for training the soldier. The boy, bidding farewell to his family at 6 or 7, was handed over to a Military Manager, or the Military Group Commander, away from home, on the mercy of (merciless) elements.
It used to be a military training regiment. In each class the bravest boy was made the class commander, the rest were made to obey him. He could give them punishment or award them restrictions for various offences. Thus an elaborate chain of appointments existed to keep going the cycle of training, always and everywhere. Independent thinking was dangerous and perhaps a sign of cowardice. If at all there was some room for the mental or intellectual grooming, the belief that ‘We are the Best’ was injected without bothering to make grounds for it. How old are the new ways of brainwashing. 6. Games were Played but in the Nudes, under the eyes of the elders and the lovers of either sex. The older men would provoke quarrels among their youth mostly by creating competition among individuals and groups. The purpose was to test the fortitude and physical hardihood. One moment of cowardice would bring many days of disgrace. To bear pain, hardship, and misfortune was required of all. At 12, the boy was deprived of under garments and was allowed but one garment throughout the year. Bathing frequently was bad as it made the boy soft and tender.
Throughout the year, he slept in the open, on a bed of rushes broken from the banks of river Eurotus. Until he was 30, he lived in his company lines or barracks, and knew no comforts of the home. 28. Books found few buyers in Sparta. Lycurgus wished that maximum Oral Practices should be given to the boy to enable him to mug up the laws of the constitution. In this time-tested device of oratory, the commanding voice was preferred regardless of the subject matter. It was the moral character that made the Spartan man, not the intellect. The concept of morality, however, is a different thing, as it always varies from place to place and time to time). In order to demonstrate to the youth the negative outcomes of drinking, the slaves were made to drink in excess. Pen was the toy of the coward, sword the ornament of the brave. To steal eatables during training tenure was admissible, but to be caught was a crime punishable by flogging.
If the boy behaved well and survived the rigours of training, he would be given the status of a citizen and was allowed to dine with elders in the public messes of which every citizen was a compulsory member. The Girls of Sparta do not fail to attract our attention; and it would be unfair to the fair sex if we neglect them altogether. Though they did not have to go to any open-air military academy, (by the sheer courtesy of Spartan code,) they were also subject to the regulation of the state. It was a mandatory obligation of the Spartan girl to nurture herself for a perfect motherhood, by using whatever means. She was to engage herself in rigorous games to become a healthy mother; the ultimate object was to breed healthy warriors.
She should go naked in public dances and processions in the presence of young men, specially the bachelors, so that both might be stimulated to the utmost care of their bodies, and their defects could be discovered and removed. While these nymphs danced, they sang songs in the praise of those valiant sons of the soil who had laid their lives for the cause of their nation. No mental or academic education was wasted upon the Spartan girl. As to Love, the Spartans were beyond prejudice of gender. Nearly every boy had a lover among the older men from whom he expected to get guidance in the art of martial life.
This passionate friendship inspired and stimulated both in the event of war. The state declared the best age for Marriage 30 for men and 20 for girls. Celibacy or bachelorship in Sparta was a crime, liable to strange kind of punishments. Bachelors were excluded from the franchise. They could not attend the public processions in which young men and women danced in the nude. They were forced to march in public, all naked, singing a song to the effect that their punishment was justified because they violated the laws of Sparta by delaying their marriage.
Those who avoided marriage persistently, could be taken up by the groups of young girls, anywhere, any time. Or, several such men could be pushed together into a dark room with an equal number of girls, to choose and pick their life-mates in darkness. The Spartans believed that such choosing could not be more foolish than love. We find in the pages of history at least one Spartan general, General Lysander, who was punished because he left his older wife and wanted to marry a prettier one; how old are the feelings of being fed-up. However, we do learn that the position of woman was better in Sparta than in any other Greek community.
In spite of being in Sparta, she enjoyed liberty. She could own and inherit property. There was a time when more than half of Spartan wealth was in the hands of Spartan woman. She was something of a queen in the domestic affairs and did not allow her husband to take any major decision without her consent. One really wonders how little we have come from the past. Public Messes. Every Spartan male was bound by the constitution, from his 30th to 60th year of age, to take at least one meal in the public dining hall or the main mess. Here the food was simple in quality and slightly insufficient in quantity.
To supply the food for this mess, every citizen was required to pay the mess bill on regular basis, failing which his citizenship could be cancelled. If a man’s tummy swelled indecently, he could be banished from the country. 34. Like the previous USSR, Sparta was a Close Society. Foreigners were discouraged to visit. If a foreigner prolonged his official visit, he could be escorted to the frontier by the secret police. On the other hand, Spartans themselves firmly believed that no other nation or land could make them learn anything better than their own.
An unflinching faith to the effect “we are the best” was the hallmark of Spartan citizen, born and bred in the military nursery of Sparta. An Estimate of Sparta. Having said all this, it must not be forgotten that the system had to be ungracious in order to survive, and survive in competition with others much like itself. 66% population comprised the slaves or other conquered subjects who were always sizzling with revolt. Because of this, all citizens were also reduced to become slaves to the fear of revolt. A Word by the Philosophers. In the views of Plato, Plutarch and Xenophon, Spartan Virtues are truly admirable.
In fact, it was here that Plato found the outlines of his Utopia, a little blurred by the indifference to ideas. However, these virtues are the following: (as we have seen also) They were physically healthier and stronger than their fellows. In fact we come across a very suggestive remark by Will Durant on the Spartan health that Plato must have been very happy to find such a land “so free of medicine and democracy”. They are second to none in physical courage and hardihood save Romans. They possessed the qualities like self-control, moderation and equality of which the Athenians could talk well but seldom practice. They were masters in the art of slavery, though slavery to the law, and none else. It was not the king whom they feared, but the law. All Greece looked with envy to the Spartan Army and government, and also would oblige it for dealing with foreign invasions. The Final Word (I invite my learned audience to say the final word on the subject; discussion and question answers). Plato, Plutarch and Xenophon (and probably some of us) can afford to admire Sparta because we do not have to live in it (says our historian). The Spartan code produced tough soldiers and nothing more.
Something that remained unknown to them was the creative exuberance of human mind. They were alien to the subtleties of human life and nature but around which revolved the whole life-scheme of Athens, and Greece in general. The exercise of intellectual adventure remained a forbidden fruit to the barren land of Sparta. Excluded from commerce with the world, barred from travel, ignorant of science, literature and philosophy, the Spartans became a nation of excellent hoplites (or warriors) with the mentality of a life-long infantryman. It was a courage and discipline so noble in character, but so base in purpose, and so barren in result.
While hardly a day’s ride away, the Athenians were building a civilization so intensely alive to all the beauties and delicacies of human life, so universal, so aesthetic and yet so flexible, so scholarly and yet so bold. It was open to every new idea and eager for intercourse with the world at large, tolerant, varied, complex, luxurious, innovative, sceptical, imaginative, poetical, turbulent, and above all, free. So much so that in the end when Persia invaded, Sparta sold herself to Persia and did as a stooge to the invaders. On the other hand, Athens stood in the way of invaders, and survived elegantly in the war of Marathon.
When Sparta fell, all the nations marvelled, but none mourned. Today among the scanty ruins of the ancient capital, hardly any pillar survives to announce ‘look! Here once stood the great Spartan civilization’. A few miles away in the north east, the Acropolis on the Capitol Hill has found its replica in the form of White House. If you like sir, to draw an analogy with the modern world, the previous USSR was the modern Sparta, and the USA, Athens. Sparta is dead, Athens alive. And yet, it is a big paradox of history that the modern world of democracy, liberty and innovation has utterly failed to abolish the practices of ‘Spartanism’.
Whatever theories we have propounded, and whatever rhetoric we have invented, we have kept alive the Spartan spirit par excellence. We have invented rhetorics to condemn it, but also we have manoeuvred new ways and means to practise it. The new World Orders have been coming and going, starting from Alexander the great, through the Roman Empire, and down to our own times. We do find societies poor in art, literature, philosophy and science; and yet so martial in disposition. Methods are new, spirit is old.
It was not the military ambition that made Sparta what it was; but it was nothing else supplemented with this ambition that made us to look down upon them. Spartans pursued the military ambition, without being alive to the finer needs of life. While Athens had much advanced in the life of art, Spartans remained limited to the art of life with single-minded objective in sight. Perhaps life to them meant nothing beyond survival. One comment, perhaps applies to the Spartan kind of nationalism, i.e. ; their readiness to die for the land was an escape from living under the suffocation of the same land.
