Rome

Societal Structure Of Sparta

Sparta was an “Oligarchy”. The very old Greek “oligos” converts to “few”, while “archia” means “rule” - 'rule by the few'. Five Ephors were voted into agency annually, accompanied by two kings, who passed on the crowns to their chosen sons. The Spartan equivalent of the senate was its “gerousia”, while Ephors and the Kings would regularly attend the “apella” to evolve and trial to pass “rhetrai”, or motions and decrees. Other purposes of the general assembly were to ballot on and pass legislation and make municipal decisions. While Sparta and Athens both evolved formidable land and sea forces at distinct stages in their history, each dominated in one particular arm of the military.(Dillon,297)

Sparta was in the Peloponnesus, south of Athens. Being a militaristic state, Sparta's prime focus was on its land-based army, created of armoured hoplites. The Spartan hoplite endured rigorous training from the age of 7, to become a part of one of the finest kind of warriors of the ancient world. It was their education system renowned as the “agoge” which engaged harsh training in the wilderness and in barracks, that conveyed this broadly sought after brilliance on the battlefield.

One reason Sparta had such a militaristically based society was its require to maintain and exercise command of the helots, slaves from Messenia.(Bentley,276)main formation utilised by the hoplite was the “phalanx”, where hoplites stand shoulder to shoulder with long pikes out in front of them. A Spartan hoplite was equipped with a “hoplon” shield, a heavy dagger, a sharp bent sword and a pike. (Jackson , 225)

 

Slavery in Rome

Slavery in the ancient world and in Rome was vital to both the finances and even the social fabric of the society. While it was commonplace all through the Mediterranean district, and the Hellenistic regions in the ...