Spartiates
- Original Dorian conquerors of Laconia - the Spartiates never numbered more than 10,000
- Privileged social class, holding all political power
- All equal under the law and all subjected to the same training and discipline
- Forbidden to engage in farming, trade and industry. These were done by Helots and Perioeci
- There were rich and poor Spartiates, but there is some controversy over the existence of a nobility
- Full time soldiers owing total obedience to the state
- The state supported them by giving them an allotment of public land (Kleros) and of Helots
- Lived by a high code of honour that involved courage, loyalty, endurance and obedience
Women
- Emancipated - mingled freely with men and shared their sports, but were excluded from holding public office and did not have the right to vote
- Did not spin or weave - regarded these tasks as fit only for slaves
- Trained to be fit companions, and mothers of warriors and heroes
- Known for natural beauty, strength and grace - forbidden from wearing jewelry, cosmetics and perfume
- Grew up in physical freedom, but modest and careful of health
- Very wealthy, as numbers of men declined in the 5th century, two-fifths of the land came into their hands
Perioeci
"Dwellers around" or "Those on the periphery" - Perioeci were not unique to Sparta
- Dorian in origin - lived in approximately 100 scattered communities in the area controlled by Sparta
- Their villages served as a wall or "buffer zone" against escaping Helots
- Autonomous (self-governing) in their own communities - had local citizenship; owed allegiance to Sparta
- Had no say in formulating Spartan policy
- Were not permitted to marry Spartiates
- Chief contribution to the Spartans was economic - engaged in trade and industry
- Spartan Kings' revenue came from their estates in the lands of the perioeci
- All adult male perioeci were expected to serve as hoplites alongside Spartiates, although not involved in training
- If involved in a case with a Spartiate, were brought before the ephors for trial
Inferiors
Neither slaves nor citizens
- Partheniai
- Illegitimate offspring of Helot mothers and Spartiate fathers
- Neodamodes
- Helots, who for some courageous act or service to the state were given freedom
- Mothoces
- Sons of helots often 'adopted' as playmates of Spartan boys - shared training
- Tresantes
- Spartan peers - cowards who lost citizenship - not necessarily permanently
Helots
- Pre-Dorian inhabitants conquered by Spartans - some Messenians may have been part-Dorian
- State-owned serfs lived with families on lands of Spartiates - could not move without government permission
- Main duty was to supply a fixed amount of produce annually to Spartan masters - free to make a profit once upkeep of Spartans paid for
- Politically and legally had no rights whatsoever - only the state could free them or dispose of them
- Often acted as servants to Spartan soldiers during war - also served as light-armed skirmishers in battle
- Constant threat to Spartan security - were discontented and rebellious; outnumbered the Spartiates approximately 20:1
- Often treated harshly - from time to time killed by the Krypteia to keep them under control; always under suspicion
- A few freed for bravery or service to the state, but had no civic rights - termed neodamodes - however, it was dangerous to show too much bravery
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