Equality In Spartan Society

The organization of a society is often the deciding factor of its success or failure. While hierarchy allows societies to be more structured, it is not well accepted among poorer citizens. Likewise, equality is less accepted among richer citizens. Throughout history, both of these structural organizations have been demonstrated by numerous societies. Although attempts were made to establish equality within societies, hierarchy and patriarchy inevitably prevail.
The 4th century saw the peak of one of Greece’s finest city-states, Sparta. The Spartan society followed a strict lifestyle in order to increase its military power. The guidelines that Spartans were expected to follow were outlined in the Constitution of the Lacedaimonians. This constitution, which is described by a historian of that …show more content…
Before this transformation, Christians faced prosecution for their faith. Within their religion, Christians attempted to live a life of equality by giving to the poor and treating others well. Because these Christians were living under the Roman Empire, they were persecuted for refusing polytheism. The account of the martyrdoms of Perpetua and Felicitas tells the story of a woman, Perpetua, who is put on trial for refusing to recant Christianity. The Romans made an example of her by having her killed in the arena for all to see. Even as she is beaten, Perpetua does not fight back because she believes that she must turn the other cheek. Ultimately, because Perpetua dies, her ideas of equality are proven to be less effective than the Roman hierarchal structure. Once Christianity is spread throughout the Roman Empire, it is organized as hierarchical. For example, lower bishops and patriarchs were organized under the Bishop of Rome. This consolidation shows that although Christianity preaches equality, religions rely on hierarchical organization to be