War and Warfare
regions conquered by sparta
lakonia and messenia
what was a helot
the original inhabitants of sparta who did other jobs aside from fighting for their spartan masters
ratio of helots to spartans
7helots to every spartan
who were the Perioeci
traders and craftsmen who lived in the harsh lands near sparta. They answered to sparta and sent men for their army but still had some rights (more than helots)
what mountain would an 'imperfect' spartan baby be thrown off
mount taygetus
who would inspect a spartan baby at birth
an elder
what was the agoge
the school spartan boys would be sent to at age 7
how old would spartan boys be when they were sent to the agoge
7
what happened in he krypteia
the strongest warriors (in their late teens) would be sent into the woods with the aim of killing as many helots as possible without getting caught. they would return after 10 to 12 years as a soldier
what was the syssitia
a group of about 15 men who would do everything together and grow close so they would have a strong bond when they went to battle
what was a doru
a 2m long spear made of wood and iron carried in the right hand of a spartan hoplite. Had a point on the bottom to kill people on the ground
what was a xiphos
an iron sword used in close combat hung on the left side of a b elt worn by a spartan hoplite
what was an aspis
a sheild (1m in diameter) made of bronze and wood and decorated with a lambda symbol, attached to the left hand of a spartan hoplite
what were greaves
bronze shin pads worn by a spartan hoplite
spartan army structure
syssitia (15men)
2/3 of these become enomotia led by enomotarch
4 of these become lochos led by locagos
4 of these become mora led by taxiarch (640men)
why did sparta have 2 kings
so one could go on campaign and not leave sparta without a ruler if he died
who did spartan kings claim to be descendants of
Herakles