Www.bxscience.edu



Primary Source Spartan Women: A Spartan women’s sole duty was to have as many (preferably male) babies as possible. Girls were trained to be physically fit to survive pregnancies. They were also trained in physical fitness including almost military sorts of exercises. The “education” and other liberties of Spartan women scandalized other Greeks. Ancient Greek society was notoriously chauvinistic towards women who were seen as vastly inferior to men in every way. Most Greek women lived in the shadows of their male relatives, had no economic or social independence, and many were virtual prisoners in their own homes.In Sparta, with their sons and husbands out “playing soldier,” it was left to the women to manage the economic affairs of the household. While other Greeks often praised Sparta’s military culture, they were frequently outraged by the freedoms permitted to Spartan women who went about in public. Even worse, the Spartan ladies were notoriously outspoken and even insolent. Mothers and wives taunted their “weak” or “cowardly” sons and husbands. Some were even reported to have killed their own sons if they had shown fear in battle. The ancient historian Plutarch collected the sayings of Spartan women:A?Spartan woman who was being sold as a slave, when asked what she knew how to do, said, "To be faithful." Another, taken captive, and asked a similar question, said, "To manage a house well."Another, when her son came back to her from field of battle wounded in the foot, and in great pain, said, "If you remember your valor, my child, you will feel no pain, and be quite cheerful."One woman sent forth her sons, five in number, to war, and, standing in the outskirts of the city, she awaited anxiously the outcome of the battle. And when someone arrived and, in answer to her inquiry, reported that all her sons had met death, she said, "I?did not inquire about that, you vile varlet, but how fares our country?" And when he declared that it was victorious, "Then," she said, "I?accept gladly also the death of my sons.”What are two qualities of Spartan women that are suggested in the above primary source from Plutarch’s Lacaenarum Apophthegmata? ................
................

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

Google Online Preview   Download