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... to be good in wrestling, running, hurling the javelin and discus throwing, foot races, and staged battles. All these skills could be extremely useful for future soldiers. Although the men were mainly involved in wars, the Spartan women had to defend themselves if the men were outside the city and some danger occurred. Yet, Plato says that Spartan women, for all their gymnastic training, had no military role whatever, and even in a crisis were incapable of handling weapons (Powell 249) The fact that Spartan women were wrestling nude, surprised the people during the centuries. Roman poet Sextus Propertius (p. 42) wrote about the girls: I must admire the Spartan wrestling schools, But most of all I like the womens rules: For girls and men can wrestle in the nude - The Spartans think such exercise is good; Naked they throw the ball too fast to catch, They bear the brunt of the Pancration match, Put pugilistic straps on hands, so soft and fair, They whirl the heavy discus through the air, Gallop the circuit, helmets on their brow, Buckling a sword too thighs as white as snow; With hoar-frost on their hair, they join the chase With the determination on the face Like Amazons, breasts naked to the fray, Who battled in Pontic streams at the end of the day?
Besides, the athletic exercises were good not only for general physical development of the girls, but prepared them to their main bio-social function: the maternity. Athletics also added to Spartan women self-esteem and made them to feel more confident in their strength and independence. What is more, the athletic exercise was quite effective method to behave social instincts and to accustom the girls to political and religious life of polis. Plato, probably, was one of the first people, who understood the importance of physical education for women. He foresaw the athletic exercises in his first project of ideal government. Spartan women were divided into several age groups, called age or ils similar to the boys groups, which had the same names.
During the athletic and musical competitions, which usually were accompanying religious celebrations, these groups, evidently, were competing with each other. Peculiar relationships of love-friendship between the girls could be kept during the whole life. Spartan women, who got such liberal education, hardly were able to obey to their husbands and to be inferior to them. Plutarch speaks about the girls from Sparta and mentions of their sense of humor. Some examples of jokes and witty remarks are presented in the numerous books. One of the most popular phrases is with the shield or on the shield, which means to return victorious or dead.
The women seem to speak on behalf of the Spartan government and repeat the main precepts of Spartan society. Women act as embodiment of the despotic power and send their sons to death. They refuse from their own sons if the sons come back defeated. We need to remember that when Spartan woman speaks such words to her son, she is speaking to a young man whom she hardly knows. This is not the teen-aged son who could read to perfection the slightest change of expression in her voice. He has changed and she has changed over the years of their forced separation.
Their bond had been unnaturally altered. She speaks to him formally, as she would speak to any Spartiate. (Kallistos n. p. ) I would like to remember the story from World and I, which speaks of a Spartan woman who on learning that all five of her sons had been killed in a single battle asked only who was victorious. Assured that the Spartans had triumphed, she walked away dry-eyed, saying only, "Then I am happy. " (268).
Womans position demonstrates the attitude of a warrior, a woman who is dedicated to her country, a strong and brave one. The power of Spartan women over their children can be associated with the power of the government over its citizens. I especially like the words said by Gorgo, the daughter of Cleome and the wife of Leonid. One Athenian woman said to her that the Spartan women are the only women who have power over their husbands. Gorgo replied that Spartan women are the only women who give birth to Spartan husbands. Although this joke presents the facts in quite hyperbolized interpretation, we have no reason to doubt that the level of social activity was very high.
Spartan men were really unusually attached to their women: From a very small citizen population Sparta had to supply soldiers and administrators to control a large empire, after 404. In the resulting shortage of trustworthy men to control things at Sparta, citizen women might well prove indispensable, particularly since they had more knowledge of the mens world than (for example) their cloistered Athenian sisters (Powell 228 - 229). Such extremely high level of Spartan womens activity could result in various political accidents. The so-called elite class Spartan women did have influence on governmental affairs. Plutarch speaks about elite Spartan women and underlines that they often intervened into the governmental issues. Elite women mostly belonged to aristocracy.
These women were quite close to the main vital centers of Spartan politics and had much in common with women from Hellenistic high society or matrons of republican and emperor Rome. Both Aristotle and Plutarch confirm the fact that Spartan women were superior to Spartan men. What is more important, both of authors consider that this fact didnt have accidental origin. Moreover, it was the natural consequence of high social position Spartan women occupied in society. Both Aristotle and Plutarch make direct association between the political influence and power of Spartan women and their wealth. Aristotle writes about the Spartan women: Nearly two-fifths of the whole territory is owned by women, since there are many heiresses and Spartans give large dowries. (Pol. 2. 1270 a 23 - 25) (Sealey 83) Spartan Women and Feministic Philosophy Every child and every adult must have ever heard about Spartan society and Spartan women.
Nobody doubts that Spartan women as historic figures were real heroes, an honorable strong women, who could do everything for their native land. There are a lot of legends, fairy tales and novels either about Spartan women or about their wrestling competitions. It happens so that the older a historic figure is, the less it is known about his / her real life and character. There might even exist written sources, but to what extent can they be trusted? It should be taken into consideration that all these sources are subjective and were written under the influence of the authors attitude to the people whom he wrote about. And if, for instance, in the times of Spartan society the women were not considered a heroes and emancipated women, in the modern chronicles they are considered the feminists.
First of all it should be found out who the Spartan women were. As it was already mentioned they are mostly legendary personalities. Certainly, once there existed such women, but few facts are known about their biographies and most information is taken from the old epic legends and ancient chronicles. Spartan women were beautiful, strong, noble, devoted to his country and duty.
They are ready to protect their native land even with the cost of their lives. They were independent and had strong social position. The question, if the comparison of Spartan women and feminists is valid has two answers. Conclusion The history of Spartan women and their role in society is of great interest and importance.
It is often considered as the first feminism movement. Tracing the history of Spartan women helps to realize how many different facts influenced the establishment of the feminism in the world society. It also shows how the women may have influence on the country and on women all over the world. Summing up all said above, it should be told that chronicles and eyewitness accounts cant serve as the only historical sources. As they were written by ordinary people they cant contain the objective information, as personal opinion of righter and opinion of people of certain era influenced it.
In our case witness account describes Spartan women as strong emancipated women with no lacks, while in some historical chronicles they appeared to be un doubtfully great, but still women with advantages and disadvantages. On the other hand, such accounts and chronicles can give psychological portrait of the author, as well as of the whole Spartan society, as they show womens believes, aims and hopes. From such accounts we can always get trustworthy information of the traditions and customs of the Spartan society (and Spartan women in particular) of the described period. Scientists can get some hints of historical events and situation of different historically known places. So, in spite of the fact that chronicles and eyewitness accounts contain subjective information they, firstly, much more reliable than legends and tails and secondly, they can contain very important information, that cant be found in other sources as for many years it was the only way to right down the historical events.
Current research gives us opportunity to study gender issues in the society by the example of Spartan women. The history of Spartan women can be examined as the history of womens realization as an independent individual having equal rights. Examining the historical background of feminist movement (especially basing on concepts of Spartan women) can help men to understand women strive better. Studying this information can also help readers to realize the importance of gender equality. All references used in the work help to look on the problem not only from mens but also from womens viewpoint.
They can help to get rid of certain stereotypes existing in minds of both men and women, as women have stereotypes concerning men, too. When choosing sources we were looking for objective historical information, so as to show both the history of Spartan women spoken in the context of feminist philosophy and other gender related issues to give the full picture of the society with its problems, concerning gender issues. Bibliography Ancient Greek Civilizations. Retrieved November 30, 2005.
web Ancient Greek Education. Retrieved November 30, 2005. web Cartledge, Paul. (August 2002). To Die for? Paul Cartledge Sees Ancient Spartan Society and Its Fierce Code of Honour as Something Still Relevant Today. History Today.
Volume: 52. Issue: 8. Coit, Stanton. (1909). The Subjection of Women. Longmans, Green, London. Kallistos, Alexandros. (Jan 15, 2005).
A Woman Of Sparta. AncientWorlds. Retrieved November 30, 2005. web Pomeroy, Sarah B. (August, 2002). Spartan Women. Oxford University Press Potter, David S. (November 2003).
Model Citizens? . World and I. Volume 18. Issue 11. News World Communications, Inc. Powell, Anton. (2001).
Athens and Sparta: Constructing Greek Political and Social History from 478 BC. Routledge, London Propertius, Sextus. (2000). The Complete Elegies of Sextus Propertius. Princeton University Press Sealey, Raphael. (1990). Women and Law in Classical Greece. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC.
Stark, Rodney. (1995). Reconstructing the Rise of Christianity: the Role of Women. Sociology of Religion. Volume: 56. Issue: 3.
The Spartan Way. (March 1999). World and I. volume 14, issue 3. News World Communications, Inc The Women of Sparta. Retrieved November 30, 2005. web
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