Spartan ReflectionsThe complex and distinctive Spartan tradition has been a prominent theme in western thinking from antiquity to today. Sparta is also one of a handful of ancient Greek cities with enough existing evidence for historians to create a realistic social portrait. Over the past quarter-century Paul Cartledge has established himself as the leading international authority on ancient Sparta. Spartan Reflections is a superb collection of his essays—two are published here for the first time, and the rest, often difficult to locate, have been revised and updated for publication in book form. Giving us a real sense of what Sparta was like as a culture, these essays constitute a fascinating introduction to and overview of ancient Spartan history and its reception. This collection, unique in breadth and scope, will be an essential source for anyone interested in this idiosyncratic society. Cartledge brings us up to date on what is known about the most important and intriguing aspects of Sparta: its military development, questions of gender and sexuality, and the difficult problem of artistic and literary aspects of Sparta. We learn about the institutions that distinguished Sparta from other city-states, including its religion, education process, degree of literacy, secret service, unusual system of servitude, and institutionalized pederasty. Throughout, Cartledge also makes important comparisons with Athens, helping us grasp what is really striking about Sparta. Cartledge's writing is clear and engaging as he draws from myriad sources both ancient and modern, as well as from political and cultural theory. These essays, together with their magisterial bibliography, demonstrate his remarkable scholarly and intellectual range. Spartan Reflections will be an important source on the most significant issues in Sparta scholarship today as well as a fascinating look at this culture for general readers. A Selection of the History Book Club |
Contents
SpartaWatching General Introduction | 3 |
City and Chora in Sparta Archaic to Hellenistic | 9 |
The Peculiar Position of Sparta in the Development of the Greek CityState | 21 |
Literacy in the Spartan Oligarchy | 39 |
Spartan Kingship Doubly Odd? | 55 |
Comparatively Equal A Spartan Approach | 68 |
A Spartan Education | 79 |
The Politics of Spartan Pederasty | 91 |
Rebels and Sambos in Classical Greece A Comparative View | 127 |
The Birth of the Hoplite Spartas Contribution to Early Greek Military Organization | 153 |
The Mirage of Lykourgan Sparta Some Brazen Reflections | 169 |
The Importance of Being Dorian An Onomastic Gloss on the Hellenism of Oscar Wilde | 185 |
Notes | 193 |
| 231 | |
| 264 | |
| 268 | |
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Common terms and phrases
adult Agesilaos agôgê Alkman ancient Greek ancient Sparta archaeological Archaic Aristotle Aristotle's Athenian Athens bronze Cambridge Cartledge Cartledge 1987 century BC Chapter civic Classical Greece comparative constitution contrast Croix cultural damos democracy democratic Dorian Dover early Ephors equality erastês essay evidence FGrHist fifth figurine Finley fourth centuries further Gerousia Greek world Hansen Helots Herodotus historian Hodkinson Homeric homosexuality hoplite Hyakinthia ideology Jeffery kingship Kleomenes Lakonian least literacy literally London Lykourgos Lysander male marriage Messenian military mirage modern Old South oligarchy original Ortheia Oxford Pausanias Peloponnesian Peloponnesian League perhaps Perioikoi Plato Plut Plutarch polis political precisely Raaflaub relationship repr Rhetra ritual sanctuary sense sexual sixth century slave revolts slavery Snodgrass social sources Sparta town Spartan boys Spartan citizens Spartan kings Spartan pederasty Spartan society Spartan women Spartiate Sphodrias suggest Thuc Thucydides tion Tyrtaios warfare warrior Xenophon