07-20-2009, 05:26 PM
I just thought I'd post to review the different social ranks in Sparta, because they can be hard to tell apart.
Homoioi- "peers", fully enfranchised Spartan citizens who are eligible for election to the Ephorate, etc. This status could be lost through cowardice in battle, but was mostly lost through poverty. If a Spartan could not pay his mess-fees to his syssitia.
Hypomeiones- Homoioi or the descendants of homoioi who lost their citizen status as described above. Cinadon, who famously planned a revolt of the underclasses against the homoioi, was a powerful fellow within the Spartan system.
Mothakes- These were either bastard children of Homoioi or the children of Hypomeniones that were sponsored by Homoioi to attend the agoge. Lysander and Gylippus were mothakes and very powerful and successful commanders.
Neodamodeis- Enfranchised helots. Generally the helots had to buy their citizenship, so if they were wealthy enough to do that they surely could meet the requirements of Syssitia fees. It is an odd feature of Spartan society that helots could be wealthy, perhaps moreso than poor citizens.
Helots- Serfs more than slaves. They were "owned" by the state and not individual spartans, though they served on Kleroi (farming estates).
Periokoi- "locals" These were all of the people living in the large towns and small cities within the borders of Lakonia that were not subjigated as serfs or incorperated into Sparta itself as Amyclae was. Among this middle class were many artists and wealthy traders- since Spartiates could be neither.
Women- While not a class per se, it would be a disservice not to mention that women in Sparta had far more influence in the doings of their society than any women who were not members of royal familes in the ancient world. Because they could own land and land ownership was the one avenue opened to Spartan homoioi (other than plunder or graft), they had political power even though they could not vote themselves. We often see powerful women wrapped up in the political squabbles at Sparta.
Homoioi- "peers", fully enfranchised Spartan citizens who are eligible for election to the Ephorate, etc. This status could be lost through cowardice in battle, but was mostly lost through poverty. If a Spartan could not pay his mess-fees to his syssitia.
Hypomeiones- Homoioi or the descendants of homoioi who lost their citizen status as described above. Cinadon, who famously planned a revolt of the underclasses against the homoioi, was a powerful fellow within the Spartan system.
Mothakes- These were either bastard children of Homoioi or the children of Hypomeniones that were sponsored by Homoioi to attend the agoge. Lysander and Gylippus were mothakes and very powerful and successful commanders.
Neodamodeis- Enfranchised helots. Generally the helots had to buy their citizenship, so if they were wealthy enough to do that they surely could meet the requirements of Syssitia fees. It is an odd feature of Spartan society that helots could be wealthy, perhaps moreso than poor citizens.
Helots- Serfs more than slaves. They were "owned" by the state and not individual spartans, though they served on Kleroi (farming estates).
Periokoi- "locals" These were all of the people living in the large towns and small cities within the borders of Lakonia that were not subjigated as serfs or incorperated into Sparta itself as Amyclae was. Among this middle class were many artists and wealthy traders- since Spartiates could be neither.
Women- While not a class per se, it would be a disservice not to mention that women in Sparta had far more influence in the doings of their society than any women who were not members of royal familes in the ancient world. Because they could own land and land ownership was the one avenue opened to Spartan homoioi (other than plunder or graft), they had political power even though they could not vote themselves. We often see powerful women wrapped up in the political squabbles at Sparta.
Paul M. Bardunias
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A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
MODERATOR: [url:2dqwu8yc]http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=4100[/url]
A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
