Saraswati River - Ancient Greece



“

ANCIENT GREECE

Follow-up 5: A Personal Timeline

Spartan Life

Objectives: To encourage pupils to think about how timelines are structured

and how to present information within the structure of a timeline.

Materials: Photographs, magazines, large sheets of paper, writing

materials.

Class set-up: Individuals or partner work.

Vocabulary: Timelines.

Activity: Discuss the purpose of timelines and the different components

of a timeline.

Ask pupils to create a timeline; either of their entire lives, or a segment of their life (i.e.: since they started school or one chosen year of their life). Alternatively, divide the class into partners and have each group choose what their timeline will cover. They could do concurrent years or alternating ones. Encourage them to discuss which events, people and developments and/or changes they want to include or exclude.

Ask pupils to consider what the timeline will look like, what increments of time they will use and how the increments will be marked on the timeline.

Have pupils create the timelines (this may be an excellent homework task, as parents can assist with memories and locating photographs).

Ask pupils to present their finished timelines to the rest of the class, explaining

Background Information:

None for this activity

Key background information

Sparta was one of the strongest city-states in Greece.

Was ruled by 2 kings at a time and a Council of 30 elders, who were all citizens over the age of 60.

In the archaic period, Sparta produced fine art and literature.

Was a military state.

Had a key role in defeating Persia.

Defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian War and was then at the height of her power.

Made a treaty with Persia, the ‘King’s Peace’, in 386 BC.

Was defeated by Thebes in 371 BC, never regained supremacy.

Life for men

Spartan boys left their families at 7 to be trained to become part of the full-time professional army.

Had very strict education and training.

Boys were not well fed and punished if caught stealing food.

Boys were encouraged to fight each other but not in anger.

Cowardice was seen almost as a crime.

Spartan education put emphasis on physical fitness.

Boys were taken to the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia to be flogged to show their

toughness and endurance.

The training of males was divided into age groups and called the agôgê (upbringing):

Boys 7- 17 learned reading, writing, dancing and singing; also tough physical education

Older boys, 18-19, trained for the army and in survival techniques.

Youths, 20-29, underwent rigorous military training as part of the standing army.

Young adults, 30+, were full citizens and expected to marry.

A man had to remain in his barracks until he was 30 and if he married (could marry from the age of 20) he had to visit his wife in secrecy.

All adult men belonged to ‘messes’- small groups that met and dined together and were housed in individual ‘men’s houses’.

All citizens were hoplites.

Life for women

Women received an education and physical training.

Physical training made them fit and strong so they would have healthy babies (to become good soldiers).

Physical training probably focused on gymnastics, choral song and dance.

Xenophon says that the legendary law-giver Lycurgus thought wool-working and the related sedentary life found in other states were best left to slave women: the activity was traditionally disdained by Spartan women.

The Perioikoi

(Free, non-Spartans of Laconia and Messenia)

Had to provide military service to the Spartans

Did not have the privileges of citizenship (e.g. member of the Spartan assembly, able to be a magistrate).

Were involved with the management of trade and manufacture, as Spartans not allowed to be engaged in trade.

The Helots

(The ‘serf’ population)

Were Greeks of the area around Sparta that were defeated in war by the Spartans.

Were owned by Spartans as a whole (not by individuals).

The magistrates (ephors) declared war on them annually as constant fear of revolt.

They provided most of the agricultural produce for the rest of the population.

Those of Messenia took part in regular revolts.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download