Ancient Sparta is best known today for its military orientation, the rigorous training of its youth to serve in Greece's most truly "professional" army, and the suppression of its neighbours that made its focus on war both possible and necessary. Among ancient authors, however, Sparta's women proved equally fascinating and were believed to possess far greater sexual, economic, and political power than their counterparts in the rest of ancient Greece. The image of the liberated or licentious Spartan woman has continued to intrigue modern scholars, who have hoped to find in Sparta the exception to the general rule of Greek patriarchy and misogyny. This volume seeks to demystify the Spartan female experience and to assess the reality behind the mirage of the empowered Spartan female. It analyzes both the ancient sources on Spartan women and the modern scholarly use of such sources. It examines the roles that women played in particular areas of Spartan society: religious activity, the economy, politics, and warfare.

In this book, Sarah Pomeroy seeks to reconstruct the lives and the world of Sparta's women--including how their legal status changed over time and how they held on to their surprising autonomy. Written by one of the leading authorities on women in antiquity, this is the first full-length study of Spartan women.

As the author of this book, I invited you to go through the maze of my changing views on a variety of topics. And the topics may seem random and unrelated to each other, but the discussion is surely valuable. The conclusions given by me are not the statement of ultimate truths, but rather expressions of the changing nature of thought process. You'll find my thoughts on topics ranging from the deep to the natural, from the personal to the global. It's important to understand that these mindsets are not fixed opinions, but rather samples of what I believe is true about various aspects of various topics. They are pieces developed by the different aspects of each issue that have crossed my mind, a complex mix created through instances, interactions, and thoughts. Consider this an invitation for discussion rather than a declaration of definitive facts as we progress through these chapters. Perspectives are flexible to change with evolution. What you'll read here aren't principles, but rather the changing boundaries of my thought process. I request you, dear reader, to approach my ideas with an open mind in an attitude of learning and inquiry. Just as landscapes change as we travel, I hope so can our viewpoints as we relate with a variety of views. May this book serve as an opportunity for your own thoughts, bringing about discussions, and maybe analyzing your own views. So, let us begin on this logical exploration together.

A Companion to Sparta umfasst zwei Bände und präsentiert erstmals umfassend Essays unterschiedlichster Autoren über sämtliche Aspekte der Geschichte und Gesellschaft Spartas, von den Anfängen in den Dunklen Jahrhunderten Griechenlands bis zum Römischen Kaiserreich. - Bietet eine klare und umfassende Einführung in sämtliche Aspekte von Sparta als eine Gemeinschaft, die von Städten aus dieser Zeit als eine der einflussreichsten Mächte im klassischen Griechenland angesehen wurde. - Präsentiert ausführlich die Geschichte und Kultur Spartas in Beiträgen internationaler Autoren, darunter nahezu alle Experten und Wissenschaftler des Fachgebiets. - Enthält über ein Dutzend Abbildungen zur Kunst Spartas, die die Entwicklung des alltäglichen Lebens in Sparta zeigen. - Beleuchtet die heutige Kontroverse über Veränderungen in der Gesellschaft Spartas, von der archaischen bis zur klassischen Periode, aus einem neuen Blickwinkel.

Features in-depth coverage of Spartan history and culture

This is the 7th volume from the International Sparta Seminar, in the series begun in 1989 by Anton Powell with Stephen Hodkinson. The volume is both thematic and eclectic. Ephraim David and Yoann Le Tallec treat respectively the politics of nudity at Sparta and the role of athletes in forming the Spartan state. Nicolas Richer examines the significance of animals depicted in Lakonian art; Andrew Scott asks what Lakonian figured pottery reveals of local consumerism. Nino Luraghi and Paul Christesen deal respectively with the way in which Sparta was viewed by Messenians and by Ephorus. Jean Ducat treats 'the ghost of the Lakedaimonian state', a major study of formal relations between Spartiate and perioikic communities. Thomas Figueira considers how Spartan women policed masculine behaviour. Anton Powell traces the development of Spartan reactions to political divination in the classical period.

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring The myths surrounding Sparta are as old as the city itself. Even in antiquity, Sparta was a unique society, and considered an enigma. The Spartans who fought for freedom against the Persians called themselves 'equals' or peers, but their equality was reliant on the ruthless exploitation of the indigenous population known as helots. The Spartans' often bizarre rules and practices have the capacity to horrify as much they do to fascinate us today. Athenian writers were intrigued and appalled in equal measure by a society where weak or disabled babies were said to have been examined carefully by state officials before being dumped off the edge of a cliff. Even today their lurid stories have shaped our image of Sparta; a society in which cowards were forced to shave off half their beards, to dress differently from their peers, and who were ultimately shunned to the extent that suicide seemed preferable. The legend of Sparta was even perpetuated by later Spartans, who ran a thriving tourist industry that exaggerated the famed brutality of their ancestors. This Very Short Introduction separates myth from reality to reveal the best—and the worst—of the Spartans. Andrew Bayliss explores key aspects of Spartan society, including their civic structure, their day-to-day lifestyle, and traditions such as the krypteia, a brutal rite of passage where teenagers were sent into the countryside and ordered to eliminate the biggest and most dangerous helots. Alongside this, Bayliss also sheds light on the many admirable qualities of ancient Sparta, such as their state-run education system, or the fact that this society was almost unparalleled in the pre-modern world for the rights given to Spartan women. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Helen of Troy engages with the ancient origins of the persistent anxiety about female beauty, focusing on this key figure from ancient Greek culture in a way that both extends our understanding of that culture and provides a useful perspective for reconsidering aspects of our own.