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spartan army at Mantinea 418 BC
#61
Mention of Hypomeiones opens up a veritable pandora's box, Paul !
Like other poleis, Spartan society was complex and consisted of many classes, not just Homioi/peers/equals, Helots/serfs and Perioikoi/dwellers round about/neighbours.The Perioikoi, incidently seem to have shared many of the Homioi's characteristics, but were'neighbours' rather than Spartans...for example, they were fellow Dorians ( according to Isocrates), gentlemen landowners with cleroi, they competed at Olympia separately from the Spartans, but on an equal basis, and 'gentlemen Perioikoi volunteers' served on occasion, and were evidently treated as equal to Homioi.Herodotus speaks of "the many towns of the Lakonians" and Strabo tells us there were formerly 100 towns, but by his day only 30.
Helots/serfs could serve as psiloi/euzanoi/light troops or rowers in the fleet, and beginning with Brasidas' 700 in 424 BC, as Hoplites, who must have been equipped by the state.(Thuc IV.80)
Between the Homioi and the Helots were several classes of 'inferiors' (i.e. inferior to Homioi).
There were the Parthenoi, partly legendary, who apparently left Sparta and founded Tarentum in Magna Graecia/Italy.
There are Mothakes, apparently sometimes helot playmates or sometimes foster children who shared the Spartan education system/agoge with their masters or 'foster brothers'.
There were also trophimoi -'strangers' who were probably foreigners who underwent the agoge (like Xenophon's sons) and illegitimate off-spring of Homioi 'persons of excellent appearance and not unacquainted with the discipline of the state' (Xen Hellenica V.3, speaking of those accompanying Agesilaos in 380 BC on expedition to Olynthus)
There are neo-damodeis/newly enfranchised, or freed Helots who served as Hoplites in the Army ( as many as 2000 in Agesilaus army in Asia).
Myron of Priene states that Spartans often freed their slaves ( i.e. real slaves, not Helots) who were called aphetai/released, or adespotoi/masterless, and other names.
Then there were tradesmen (not all of whom were perioikoi)and foreigners, including ( in later years at least) a jewish colony.
Finally we come to the mysterious Hypomeiones, mentioned only once (Xen Hellenica III.6) which seems to be a generic term for those Spartans not Homioi or helots.. The abortive revolutionary Kinadon, who did not want to be 'inferior' to anyone in Sparta was likely one of these. Busolt suggested Hypomeiones included Homioi who through poverty, or some other reason lost their membership and priveleges of the syssitia/messes.

Paul's post opened another thought:
I quickly checked Thucydides to see if he specifically refers to perioikoi among the prisoners from Sphacteria. He does not! He only says(IV.38 ) that of the 292 prisoners 'about 120 were Homioi'. This opens up the possibility that some, or even all, of the rest were Hypomeiones.....
However, this does not alter the fact that some time after the earthquake of 464 BC, Perioikoi formed part of the Spartan Morai/brigades. Furthermore, these did not serve together, but were apparently distributed among all the Morai, as is evidenced by the Lechaeum incident (Xen Hellenica IV. 5 ff) Agesilaos releases all the 'Amyclaeans'(from the perioikoi town of Amyclae) " ..out of all his army.." on leave to celebrate the Hyacinthia festival. In addition, the fact that the Skiritai formed a lochos of their own implies other perioikoi did not....
OTOH, there are many passages in Xen. Hellenica where he implies the Perioikoi still supply separate contingents ( e.g. where Kings wait on the borders for Perioikoi contingents to join them, though it is possible that these are an integral part of the Morai...), and elsewhere Xenophon seems to confusingly include perioikoi when referring to "the citizens" or the "citizen army" (e.g. Xen Hellenica VII.1, VII.4.20 and VII.4.27 where some of the prisoners from "the citizens" include perioikoi.) Now Xenophon knew perfectly well that perioikoi were not citizens, so must refer here to 'citizen units' i.e. the Morai.

Which brings us to Paul's second passage which to most is quite conclusive - Isocrates specifically says they served "man for man side by side with themselves" and even "some they stationed in the first rank"....but some object, and say that Isocrates is not being literal, but simply means that perioikoi got to share the same dangers, without the priveleges.
For myself, I believe overall that the evidence is sufficiently strong that perioikoi came to serve in the Morai, but that exactly when, and in what numbers, is blurred by the fact that there are other classes of non-Homioi who will also have served in the citizen Morai, such as Hypomeiones/inferiors. (Helots who served as hoplites evidently did so in separate units such as the Brasidioi or Neo-damodeis)
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)

"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
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#62
Quote:Finally we come to the mysterious Hypomeiones, mentioned only once (Xen Hellenica III.6) which seems to be a generic term for those Spartans not Homioi or helots.. The abortive revolutionary Kinadon, who did not want to be 'inferior' to anyone in Sparta was likely one of these. Busolt suggested Hypomeiones included Homioi who through poverty, or some other reason lost their membership and priveleges of the syssitia/messes.


I admit to thinking that this was settled, that Hypomeiones were disenfranchised Spartiates who can't make their mess payments and lose their Kleroi. Interestingly as the number of Spartiates dropped, only some through death, the number of Hypomeiones must have risen. I can't imagine that these men did not join the ranks, especially since many would have trained in the agoge. There seems to be no way out of inferior status by the way, though your children can at least be Mothakes.

Thus when the number of citizens drops over time and we see a dwindling number of Spartiates, it does not mean that the number of "spartans" is declining at the same rate. One might argue that the birth rate of Hypomeiones would increase, since the need to minimize offspring who would split inheritance is alleviated.

Quote:Paul's post opened another thought:


That guys a genius- he deserves some Laudes!

Quote:Furthermore, these did not serve together, but were apparently distributed among all the Morai, as is evidenced by the Lechaeum incident (Xen Hellenica IV. 5 ff) Agesilaos releases all the 'Amyclaeans'(from the perioikoi town of Amyclae) " ..out of all his army.." on leave to celebrate the Hyacinthia festival.


Amyclae seems to have a history with Sparta above the other Perioic towns doesn't it?

Quote:In addition, the fact that the Skiritai formed a lochos of their own implies other perioikoi did not....

Perhaps, but the fact that they are usually off on the other end of the battle line and could form a lochos of themselves, would both contribute to their being singled out.

Quote:Which brings us to Paul's second passage which to most is quite conclusive - Isocrates specifically says they served "man for man side by side with themselves"


The Spartan Cavalry were Perioikoi lead by Spartan officers. I can imagine the above quote meaning no more than this. One could have said of Pershing and other white officers that they served "side by side" with African-american troops. Just playing devil's advocate.

Quote:and even "some they stationed in the first rank"....


I admit to being a bit stymied by that remark. Even the integration models don't put them in front of Spartan troops.

Quote:For myself, I believe overall that the evidence is sufficiently strong that perioikoi came to serve in the Morai, but that exactly when, and in what numbers, is blurred by the fact that there are other classes of non-Homioi who will also have served in the citizen Morai, such as Hypomeiones/inferiors. (Helots who served as hoplites evidently did so in separate units such as the Brasidioi or Neo-damodeis)

I am far less sure of how Homioi, Hypomeiones, and Periokoi were arrayed than I was before this thread started :wink: I Think within the Morai sounds likely, but within Enomotia, thus succesive ranks, I still doubt.
Paul M. Bardunias
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!"
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#63
Quote:That guys a genius- he deserves some Laudes!
You've already gotten mine. It was the 16th :lol:
Giannis K. Hoplite
a.k.a.:Giannis Kadoglou
a.k.a.:Thorax
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#64
Quote:You've already gotten mine. It was the 16th

Thanks, I'm shameless, but I was feeling laudes inadequate.
Paul M. Bardunias
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!"
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#65
Reading elswhere and for something else entirely when this popped out of the text:

Quote:Plutarch, Alcibiades, 15.1:

After this fiasco on the part of the Lacedaemonians, Alcibiades was appointed general, and straightway brought the Argives, Mantineans, and Eleans into alliance with Athens. The manner of this achievement of his no one approved, but the effect of it was great. It divided and agitated almost all Peloponnesus; it arrayed against the Lacedaemonians at Mantinea so many warlike shields upon a single day; it set at farthest remove from Athens the struggle, with all its risks, in which, when the Lacedaemonians conquered, their victory brought them no great advantage, whereas, had they been defeated, the very existence of Sparta would have been at stake.

Amidst his often trite, homely and sometimes irrelevant anecdotes Plutarch secretes the occasional perspicacious gem.

Divided and agitated indeed. Inspired irritation on the chameleon's part. The League was already restless and disaffected - as it would remain and worsen.

Just how important was this battle for Sparta? Just how desperate a situation was it? The Spartans were looking the end of life as they knew it in the face. A century and a half of war and assiduos (and one-sided) alliance building on the Mantinean table and the croupier's rateau in the chameleon's hand readying to wipe them from the game. Hence the large call up: city or the bush!

There is another in the Agesilaos (33.3-4) where the Spartans' huge joy is described after the "Tearless Battle"(368). Plturch seasons the story with this little piece of acidity:

Quote:This victory, more than anything else, showed the weakness of the city. For up to this time they were wont to think the conquest of their enemies so customary and natural a thing for them to achieve, that no sacrifice for victory was offered in the city to the gods, beyond that of a cock, neither did the winners of the contest exult, nor those who heard of their victory show great joy. Nay, even after the battle at Mantinea, which Thucydides has described, the one who first announced the victory had no other reward for his glad tidings than a piece of meat sent by the magistrates from the public mess. But now, at the news of the Arcadian victory and at the approach of Archidamus, no one could restrain himself, but first his father went to meet him, weeping for joy, and after him the chief magistrates, while the elderly men and the women went down in a throng to the river, lifting their hands to heaven and blessing the gods...

How the overproud had fallen.
Paralus|Michael Park

Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους

Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!

Academia.edu
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