Sparta Research Paper

a. What were the geographical features of Sparta?
The geographical features of Sparta were: * Mt. Taygetus * Eurotas river * Messenia

b. Outline the role of the krypteia
The krypteia was the secret police force of Sparta. It was run by the ephors who recruited young men and sent them out for a year to spy on the helots. The krypteia were authorised to kill helots, especially those who appeared to have the kinds of qualities that might fit them to lead a helot rebellion. c. Describe the education of Spartan boys
The education of Spartan boys was a brutal experience for all the boys; they were all to be trained well enough to be able to serve Sparta. Training for the Spartan military began at the age of seven and continued until the age of sixty, for those who lived that long. Usually the boys would be hit to help them toughen up or just because they were out of line, they trained and fought naked, ate a modest amount of food, entered public competitions, wore little amounts of clothing (loin cloth) and travelled to places barefoot; the boys had to partake in these methods because in doing so they are making themselves much more stronger. Spartan boys were disciplined to a great extent in order to create tough
The inferiors contained subgroups within the whole group, the partheniai, mothakes, neodamodeis and the hypomeiones. The inferiors contained the illegitimate children of a Spartiate father and a helot mother, freed helots, playmates and the cowards, ‘tresantes’. All Spartan citizens were to contribute food from their estates to the communal mess; those who could not afford to would eventually lose their citizenship and become an inferior. The reason for contributing food to the communal mess was to show commitment and dedication. Spartans had to rely on each other and knowing who the best fit is is