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Why Sparta had the most elite army of the ancient world

2022-09-15 20:00:49Histori SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Why Sparta had the most elite army of the ancient world
Spartan soldier

The Spartans may have built one of the best armies of the ancient world, but their culture was so harsh that the word "Spartan" has become synonymous with a harsh way of life.

Spartan society was carefully built around a strict moral code and sense of duty. Its people have had extreme hardships and deprivations on their way to being accepted as full citizens.

1 – The Spartans had to prove their strength even when they were babies

Infanticide was a disturbingly common act in the ancient world, but in Sparta the practice was organized and managed by the state. All Spartan infants were brought before a council of inspectors and examined for physical defects, and those not up to standard were left to die. Babies born with diseases were thrown into a chasm at the foot of Mount Taygetus, but most historians now dismiss this as a myth. But this was only the first test of the babies. To test their strength, Spartan infants were often drunk with wine instead of water.

2 – Spartan children carried out a military-style educational program

At age 7, Spartan boys left their parents' homes and began a training regimen designed to make them skilled warriors and morally upstanding citizens. Separated from their families and housed in communal barracks, they were trained in thievery, hunting and athletics. At the age of 12, they were stripped of all clothing except a red robe and forced to sleep outdoors. Just as all Spartan men were expected to be warriors, all women were expected to bear children. Spartan girls were allowed to stay with their parents, but were also put through a rigorous education and training program. While the boys prepared for a life on the field, the girls practiced dance, gymnastics, and throwing the javelin and discus,

3 – Wars were encouraged among Spartan children

Most of the Spartan riots involved typical school subjects such as reading, writing, rhetoric and poetry, but the training regime also had an important place. To strengthen the young warriors and encourage their development as soldiers, instructors and elders often instigated fighting and arguments between the participants. These riots were designed in part to help the youth become more resistant to hardships such as cold, hunger, and pain. Boys who showed signs of fear or timidity were subjected to harassment and violence by colleagues and superiors.

4 – All Spartans were expected to be soldiers for life.

No matter how grueling Sparta's military education system was, the life of a soldier was the only option for young men who wanted to become equal citizens. According to the decrees of the Spartan legislators and the reformer Lycurgus, male citizens were prevented by law from choosing any profession other than the military. This commitment could last for decades, as fighters are obliged to remain on duty until the age of 60. Because of their preoccupation with the study of war, agriculture in Sparta was left entirely to the lower classes.

 

5 – Spartan youths were constantly beaten

One of Sparta's most brutal practices was the so-called "endurance contest," in which teenagers were beaten nearly to death in front of an altar in the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia. This annual practice was originally used as both a religious ritual and a test of the boys' bravery and resistance to pain. It was later transformed into a live blood sport after Sparta went into decline and fell under the control of the Roman Empire.

6 - He was intentionally given incomplete and not good food

When a young Spartan completed the main stage of training at the age of 21, he moved on to a stage with a new military style where citizens gathered for public dining meals. In order to make the young people as strong and patient as possible in the face of difficulties, they were given poor and insufficient food rations. The Spartans were known for their dedication to fitness and proper diet, so this was a real test for them.

7 – Spartans were not allowed to live with their wives until they were 30 years old

Spartan society did not discourage romantic love, but marriage and child rearing were subject to certain cultural and governmental restrictions. The state advised that men should marry at age 30 and women at 20. Since all men were forced to live in a military barracks until age 30, couples who married before were forced to live apart until the husband completed active service as military duty. The Spartans saw marriage primarily as a means of producing new soldiers, and citizens were encouraged to consider their spouse's health before marrying.

8 – Surrendering in battle was considered a shame

Spartan soldiers were expected to fight fearlessly and strive to emerge victorious. Surrender was seen as the epitome of fear, and warriors who did so were so ashamed that they often resorted to suicide. According to the ancient historian Herodotus, two Spartan soldiers who were lost in the famous Battle of Thermopylae returned to their homeland in shame. One then hanged himself, and the other was freed only after he died fighting in a later engagement./History Channel/Vox News


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