Why were Spartan boys whipped?

Spartan youths were ritualistically beaten and flogged.

Known as the “diamastigosis,” this annual practice was originally used as both a religious ritual and a test of the boys' bravery and resistance to pain.

Why were Spartan boys treated so harshly?

One factor was the agoge, the Greek city-state's educational and training system, which used harsh, extreme and sometimes cruel methods to prepare boys to be Spartan citizens and soldiers. “The agoge aimed to instill soldierly virtues: strength, endurance, solidarity,” as the late Canadian historian Mark Golden wrote.

Why were Spartan boys starved?

The reason for this strange custom was this: the Spartans were often engaged in war, so they had to depend entirely upon the provisions they could get on their way. If the Spartan soldiers had not been trained to steal, many of them would have starved during campaigns.

What happened to boys in Sparta when they turned 20?

At age 20, Spartan males became full-time soldiers, and remained on active duty until age 60.

What happened to Spartan boys at birth?

BOYS: When a Spartan baby boy was born, soldiers came to the house and examined him carefully to determine how strong he was. If a baby was weak, the Spartans took him to the forest and left to die. The city-state decided the destiny of the child.

Why Life of a Spartan Warrior Actually Sucked

What happened to unhealthy Spartan babies?

Spartans had to prove their fitness even as infants.

If a Spartan baby was judged to be unfit for its future duty as a soldier, it was most likely abandoned on a nearby hillside. Left alone, the child would either die of exposure or be rescued and adopted by strangers.

What did they do to Leonidas body?

Leonidas and the 300 Spartans with him were all killed, along with most of their remaining allies. The Persians found and beheaded Leonidas' corpse–an act that was considered to be a grave insult.

What did Spartans do with weak babies?

“Fit and strong” babies survived, but those found to be “lowborn or deformed” were left outside to die, Plutarch wrote, “on the grounds that it is neither better for themselves nor for the city to live [their] natural life poorly equipped.”

How did Spartans treat their wives?

The female Spartan was honored as the equal of the male in her own sphere of power and authority and, even in the accounts of detractors, performed admirably. It could be argued, in fact, that the strength of the Spartan women allowed for the formidable reputation of the same in the Spartan men.

What happened when a Spartan girl turned 18?

The Spartans wanted girls to be strong so that they would have healthy children. At age 18 the Spartan girl had to pass a fitness test. She was then assigned a husband and allowed to return home. If she failed the test, she became a perioikos.

Were Spartan boys taught to endure pain?

Spartan boys were taught to suffer any amount of physical pain without complaining. They marched without shoes. They were not fed well, and they were encouraged to steal food as long as they didn't get caught. If they were caught, they were beaten.

What was considered the biggest disgrace to a Spartan soldier?

They were of such great importance in the Spartan army that while losing a sword and a spear was an exception, to lose a shield was a sign of disgrace.

What was the Spartan punishment for being a coward?

Accused cowards were commanded to live in a shabby and unwashed state. Accused cowards supposedly were forced to maintain an odd physical appearance. This supposedly included a requirement to shave off half of their mustaches and to wear easily recognizable patchwork cloaks.

Were Spartan soldiers really that good?

Sparta became famous for its ability in warfare, and the Spartans were considered invincible warriors. Their ability to fight was only a part of why Spartans were exceptional soldiers. The most important reason was their specific ethics and training instilled in them since childhood.

What was the typical life of a Spartan boy?

They spent most of their time exercising, hunting, training with weapons, and being acculturated to Spartan values by listening to tales of bravery and heroism at the common meals presided over by older men¹. The standard of discipline was strict, to prepare young males for the hard life of a soldier on campaign.

What did Spartans do for fun?

Granted, Spartan citizens also pursued rugged pastimes such as equestrianism, but their love of poetry and dance belies a contempt of pleasure.

What age did girls marry in Sparta?

While Athenian women might have expected to marry for the first time around the age of fourteen to men much older than them, Spartan women normally married between the ages of eighteen and twenty to men close to them in age.

How were Spartan girls raised?

In Sparta, girls were started their education around the same age as boys (between 6-7 years of age). The education system was concentrated on military preparation and girls had a similar education. They also received physical education, which combined wrestling, gymnastics and combat skills.

Why were Spartan children beaten by other children?

Boys were also kept hungry and told to steal food. If they were caught they were beaten as an incentive to steal more skillfully in the future. This was thought to make them into more cunning soldiers. Spartan boys were supposed to be tough when they grew up.

What did Spartan mothers say to their sons?

"Come back with your shield - or on it" (Plutarch, Mor. 241) was supposed to be the parting cry of mothers to their sons. Mothers whose sons died in battle openly rejoiced, mothers whose sons survived hung their heads in shame.

How common was adultery in ancient Greece?

This seems to have been rare in practice, and adulterers were more commonly prosecuted, ransomed for money, or physically abused. The physical abuse and humiliation of adulterers is depicted in several surviving ancient Greek comedies.

Does the Spartan bloodline still exist?

The Maniots (inhabitants of the Mani Peninsula) therefore are considered direct descendants of Spartans. Almost three thousand years ago, Greece consisted of multiple 'polis' that were mostly controlled by Sparta. Spartans, as depicted in the 2006 movie 300, were highly trained fighters.

Why did Xerxes cut off Leonidas head?

Xerxes had Leonidas' head cut off and his body crucified in a mindless rage after the losses he suffered. After the Persians moved off, the Greeks returned to the battlefield and buried their dead. They erected a stone Lion to honor Leonidas and the Greeks who fell at Thermopylae.

What happened to Leonidas head?

When Leonidas was killed, the Spartans retrieved his body after driving back the Persians four times. Herodotus says that Xerxes' orders were to have Leonidas' head cut off and put on a stake and his body crucified.

What happens to a Spartan male at age 30?

A Spartan man was considered to have graduated from the agōgē at age 30, at which time he was expected to have been accepted into a syssition and was permitted to have a family. He would also receive a kleros, an allotment of land farmed by helots.