Lycurgus Reforms In Sparta

In the 8th c. BC, the Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus traveled the Mediterranean examining kingdoms and governments in order to reform his polis. His goal was to eliminate the lawlessness and disorder that had weakened Sparta and create a new constitution to keep it free. Three of Lycurgus’ reforms to ensure freedom were the youth training and childhood (the agoge), the removal of extravagance and the creation of generalization between the people, and the social code when it came to battle and the consensus. Historically, Sparta remained unconquered until the 3rd c. [500 years] because of this, Sparta remained a free polis. To Lycurgus, freedom meant freedom from foreign intervention. In today’s definition, it seemed as though the Spartans were not …show more content…
Protection was vital for Spartans; teaching the young the elder’s ways and virtues (aretí) of that protection was crucial. The agoge- or education, of the young was a unique and a very contrasting way of education compared to other education systems at that time period. The Spartans would firstly, judge the young infants. If an infant was deformed or weak, it would be killed. Therefore, all of the children entering the powerful world of Sparta, would be able to handle it’s stress. As a child, you were groomed your entire life to become a warrior. At age 7, the child would leave home to the barracks to train both mentally and physically. The educational method was to be extremely disciplined and tough. As Plutarch quotes in chapter 16 of The Life of …show more content…
Most Spartans were diligent in their training, battles, and would take death over cowardice at the drop of a hat. The Spartan culture was methodical and planned out. They were warriors (both men, women, and children) and all trained vigorously. Around 491-480 BC, Leonidas, passed the word to his soldiers to eat breakfast in the expectation that they would be having dinner with Hades”. They were fearless and proud of it. The purpose of a Spartan was contribution and community, they worked together and put their polis first. Written by Tyraios in poem, War Songs, he quotes, “For it is beautiful to die fighting for his city”. Because the Spartans cared so much about protecting their polis and believed that the reforms were beneficial, I believe that these mindsets tied into the idea that the Spartans were in fact, free. They agreed, accepted, and cherished the reforms that made them seem “unfree”. That, made them free because it was what they valued and wished