Spartiates

[Harrisonfletch]

Does anyone know an estimate of how many Spartiate citizens there where during the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in 431? I believe it has to be around 5,000 based on population decline since the Persian Wars. Thank you.

[Michael Kerr]

Don't know too much of the Peloponnesian War or Greek history but Stephen Hodkinson in his book Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta made reference to Herodotus (9,10) 5,000 Spartiates fought at Plataea in 479 BC but by the battle of Leuctra in 371BC there were only 1,200 Spartiates, 400 of whom died on the field (Xenophon, Hellenica 6.4.15). He also mentioned that in regards to Sparta, the number of full citizens shrank during classical times, largely because inheritance laws made it easy to concentrate property, and Spartiates whose estates could not support their mess contributions lost their citizen status. This was from a paper, which I think is freely available online The growth of Greek cities in the first millennium BC by Ian Morris.
Regards
Michael Kerr

[Harrisonfletch]

Don't know too much of the Peloponnesian War or Greek history but Stephen Hodkinson in his book Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta made reference to Herodotus (9,10)  5,000 Spartiates fought at Plataea in 479 BC  but by the battle of Leuctra in 371BC there were only 1,200 Spartiates, 400 of whom died on the field (Xenophon, Hellenica 6.4.15). He also mentioned that in regards to Sparta, the number of full citizens shrank during classical times, largely because inheritance laws made it easy to concentrate property, and Spartiates whose estates could not support their mess contributions lost their citizen status. This was from a paper, which I think is freely available online The growth of Greek cities in the first millennium BC by Ian Morris.
Regards
Michael Kerr

Thank you! I appreciate the input!