Each king had equal power and neither could overrule the other. In addition to the kings, there was a high council of 28 elders who came from the royal houses that helped to decide important matters of the city. These men were usually over the age of 60 and were elected to the council for life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"ancient-sparta\"](\"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ancient-sparta-1024x585.webp\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMilitaristic Society<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Male citizens would begin their military training and education called agoge by the Spartans at the age of seven. This training lasted until the age of 20 when they became citizens, though they could not hold elected office until the age of 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the age of 20 to 30 men were members of the active military and could not live with their families until the age of 30. From the ages of 30 to 60 men were considered part of the active military reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spartan women, as mentioned, enjoyed freedoms not known to many of their ancient era counterparts. They learned to read, write and do math. They often married much later than other women of the era. Typically in their late teens or early 20s, instead of at age 12 or 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In ancient Sparta, citizenship was inherited by blood. This means only the children of citizens could become citizens. After many years of fighting, both against other Greek city-states and foreign enemies the population and power of Sparta eventually began to decline, but it remained a powerful force in the region and retained its independence until around 195 B.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
King Leonidas I and the Battle of Thermopylae<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Leonidas I was the most famous Spartan king, known for his unwavering bravery and leadership. He was part of the Agiad family, which people believed were of the hero Heracles bloodline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leonidas became king around the 5th century B.C. and is most famous for his role in the Battle of Thermopylae. This battle is one of the most legendary in the whole of Greek mythology, most recently retold in the film ‘The 300’<\/a>. This was when a small group of Spartan soldiers, just 300 of them, along with some helpers from other Greek cities, stood up against a massive Persian army led by King Xerxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though they were hopelessly outnumbered by this massive invasion force, Leonidas and his Spartans fought fiercely to hold off the aggressors. They strategically picked their spot to choke the Persian line and give them a fighting chance. Or perhaps it was just to buy time and inflict as much damage as they could. They knew they were fighting not just for Sparta but for the freedom of all Greeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Spartan bravery at Thermopylae has inspired people for thousands of years. Teaching us that standing up for what you believe in, even when the odds are against you, is truly heroic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sparta wasn’t just famous for its warriors; it also features prominently in various myths and legends. According to Greek mythology, Sparta was founded by Lacedaemon, a son of Zeus<\/a> and Taygete<\/a>, one of the Pleiades. Lacedaemon married Sparta, the daughter of Eurotas, after whom he named the city. This divine lineage highlights the city’s esteemed place in Greek mythology. Couple that with the blood tie to Heracles and Sparta was always going to be a special place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most famous stories involving Sparta is that of Helen, often known as Helen of Troy<\/a>, originally Helen of Sparta, her place of birth. Helen was considered the most beautiful woman in the world and was married to King Menelaus of Sparta. Her abduction by Paris, Prince of Troy is what ultimately led to the Trojan War<\/a>. In this story, Sparta has a central role in one of the most epic tales of Greek mythology.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sparta is also known for the Dioscuri<\/a>, or the twins Castor and Pollux (Polydeuces in Greek). They were the sons of Leda<\/a> and brothers of Helen of Troy. While Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta, Pollux was the divine son of Zeus<\/a>. The brothers are famous for their strong bond and adventures. In stories they are often helping sailors in distress and being celebrated as patrons of athletes and warriors. Theirs, is a story that reflects the Spartan values of loyalty, bravery, and excellence in physical prowess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Spartan mythology, the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia was an important religious site. According to legend, an ancient wooden statue of Artemis<\/a> was found in a bush by Iphigenia, who was transported to Sparta by Artemis. The Spartans would conduct rituals and sacrifices here, including the diamastigosis, where young males were whipped as a test of their endurance and dedication to the goddess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The figure of Lycurgus, the legendary lawgiver of Sparta, is shrouded in myth. He is credited with establishing the military-oriented reformation of Spartan society. This included the agoge, the rigorous education and training program for Spartan boys. The laws of Lycurgus were said to have been inspired by the Delphic Oracle<\/a>, further linking Sparta’s societal structure to the divine will of the gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sparta was a city-state in ancient Greece, renowned for its military pre-eminence in the region. The entire city-state was organized to maximize its military capabilities. Given this reputation, Sparta led all of the combined Greek armies in the war against the Persians in the early 400s B.C. Sparta was unique for its militaristic society in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1767,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/myths\/1271"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/myths"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/myths"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1271"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/myths\/1271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4993,"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/myths\/1271\/revisions\/4993"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"battle](\"https:\/\/greekgodsandgoddesses.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/battle-of-thermopylae-1024x585.webp\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Birth of Ancient Sparta through Myth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ancient Sparta and Helen of Troy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Dioscuri: Castor and Pollux<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lycurgus and the Ancient Spartan Laws<\/h3>\n\n\n\n