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Explain What the Marriage Customs Reveal About the Attitudes Towards Women in Sparta

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Explain What the Marriage Customs Reveal About the Attitudes Towards Women in Sparta
EXPLAIN WHAT THE MARRIAGE CUSTOMS REVEAL ABOUT ATTITUDES TOWARDS WOMEN IN SPARTA
The marriage customs of Ancient Sparta reveal a great amount of information about the attitudes towards women. The attitudes towards women in Sparta played a big role in distinguishing Sparta from the other city-states of Greece. Ancient Sparta was set in the time period when men ruled women, which is a great point as Spartan women had the most rights and they were the closest to ‘equal’ with men in Greece. Men treated their women with much more quality then men do in the other cities or states of Greece at the time. This is proven in many ways including the wedding night ritual, entitlements as a woman at the age to marry, as well as her necessities for having children. These are three main marriage customs portrayed in the Spartan society that reveal information about the attitudes to women in Sparta.
The wedding night ritual in Sparta was very common, as well as traditional in many ways. This custom was done in a very specific procedure. The bridesmaid was to “capture” the woman who was getting married the night of the wedding. The bridesmaid took charge of the captured girl. She first shaved her head to the scalp, then dressed her in a man's cloak and sandals, and laid her down alone on a mattress in the dark. It is believed that on their wedding night, women dressed in men’s clothing to make the situation easier for him, as well as make him more comfortable with the event. The groom, who was sober, first had dinner in the messes, then would slip in, undo her belt, and carry his bride to the bed. The husband would continue to visit his wife in secret for some time after the marriage. These customs, unique to the Spartans, have been interpreted in various ways. The “abduction” of the women on her wedding night was thought to ward off the evil eye, and the cutting of her hair signaled her entrance into a new life. This ritual was very consistent in Sparta, and it shows that women
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