Description

Sparta has been a subject of fascination and controversy both in antiquity and in the present era. Ancient sources, authored primarily outside Sparta itself, present divergent images of Spartan society, which is portrayed, on the one hand, as an oppressively militaristic state with no interest in arts, that is culturally and politically opposite to democratic free-thinking Athens (e.g. Thucydides 1.10.2), and on the other hand as an exceptional, idealised state, with measured political and social institutions that promoted eunomia (good governance). Modern scholarship perpetuated this polarity about the character of Spartan society to a great extent; recent studies, however, are shifting the focus on the relation of her institutions and practices to customs elsewhere in the Greek world.

In this short course we will encounter the complex and contradictory evidence for the character of classical Spartan society and the nature of her institutions. We will examine the city’s political, social and economic institutions, ideologies of warfare and community, which are also reflected and materialised in religious ritual, and the Spartan system of citizenship and slavery. We will look at the Spartan education system: the ‘agoge’ (‘rearing’) of citizen males, as well as the education and social role of women. Our discussion will focus on the close study of selected ancient texts in translation, as well as the analysis of archaeological and iconographic evidence.

This course complements the OCR Classical Civilisation A level qualifications in the UK, and as such would be of value to students and teachers, as well as being of interest to anyone fascinated by the ancient Greek world.

This class will meet on Zoom on Tuesdays for five weeks from 23rd April 2024 at 19:30-21:00 (GMT+1). Dates for the term are 23rd April, 30th April, 7th May, 14th May and 21st May 2024.

Tutor: Dr Katerina Kolotourou.