Spartan Mora regiments at Battle of Plataea

[Ghostmojo]

I tend to agree with PS's remarks likening Spartan armies to Roman ones. The similarities are often startling between Sparta and Rome. Two warrior king/generals - two consuls; mixed but conservative political constitutions etc. There are other elements as well (but would necessitate a different thread about if and how much Sparta was emulated by Rome as a model - as well as Cato's Sabines' origins). However, I recognise you were just pointing out how the nomenclature reference is similar.

I also should watch the late night postings since I really meant manumitted as opposed to enfranchised (i.e. freed but not allowed elective participation) when discussing the Neodamodeis. The latter seem to have occupied a limited historical period anyway - first appearing in the Peloponnesian War with Brasidas but seemingly not after about 369 [size=85:1bszpnl6]BC[/size], unless the possible later references to Agesilaos' use of a lower class of troops meant Neodamodeis (but more probably Perioikoi or mercenaries). In any event as the Kinadon experience showed, Sparta was usually keen to ship malcontents off to a colony somewhere - after initially gaining some military use from them.

Also, I suspect, whilst no doubt always being present to some extent - I believe the issue of the Hypomeiones and Mothakes became more pertinent and pressing in much later classical times and well into the hellenistic period. The manpower shortages and further army reorganisation go hand in hand with these matters.

On another subject though, I am not certain, however, Herodotos forgot about the Perioikoi at Thermopylai (as I have said elsewhere on this forum). I'm not convinced they were there in the first place. Leonidas was able to take his personal bodyguard with him as an advance force. He was not able to mobilise the whole army - nor did he have the power to do so. I take that as being an inability to mobilise the Perioikoi as well - unless he merely picked up volunteers along his march (which seems unlikely to me). The Spartan state decided on mobilisation of its citizenry and upon those who were foresworn to follow - i.e. the Lakonian dwellers around, some of whom were yeomanry hoplites like much of the rest of central and southern Greece. Why would they necessarily follow without being forced to by their Spartan masters (unless seized by some panhellenic spirit)? Surely that missing 1000 could be accounted for elsewhere and especially with Diodorus not being entirely reliable. If the Perioikoi had been persuaded, I think a matching figure of 300 might have been more likely - like for like as at Plataia? Is it not also possible approximately 1000 men came from no especially definable origins - just various smaller places within the Peloponnese, and possibly elsewhere, en route to the pass?