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What was the main goal of Spartan mothers?
The sole goal imposed upon Spartan mothers by the state was to create soldiers, not nurture or coddle their children. Anecdotally, the typical parting words of a Spartan mother to her son leaving for battle were, “come back either with your shield or on it…”(Plutarch).
What is a Spartan home?
Sparta was mostly a land of farming and the houses were simple 1-2 floors of mud brick and clay and were sometimes painted white to keep it cool. and would sometimes have a garden in the middle. So overall Spartan homes were basic, functional and strong and the farmers were always ready for a battle.
How did marriage work in Sparta?
In preparation for marriage, Spartan women had their heads shaved; they kept their hair short after they wed. Married couples typically lived apart, as men under 30 were required to continue residing in communal barracks. In order to see their wives during this time, husbands had to sneak away at night.
How were women’s live in Sparta and Athens different?
Thus, compared to other women in ancient Greek city-states, Sparta women were luckier, they were free to move outside and they could involve in education, military and also politics. In short, women in Sparta enjoyed more rights and better status while women in Athens were forced to be at home most of the time.
Why were some Greeks shocked by the lives of Spartan woman?
Some Greeks were shocked by the lives of Spartan women because in most Greek city-states the women stayed indoors most of the time and did household work, whereas in Sparta women enjoyed more rights than other Greek women, they could sell their property and they were educated and trained in sports.
How were Spartan soldiers trained?
They were taught boxing, swimming, wrestling, javelin-throwing, and discus-throwing. They were trained to harden themselves to the elements. At the age of 18, Spartan boys had to go out into the world and steal their food. At age 30, they became full citizens of Sparta, provided they had served honorably.
How many wives did ancient Greeks have?
A peculiar institution? Greek and Roman men were not allowed to be married to more than one wife at a time and not meant to cohabit with concubines during marriage, and not even rulers were exempt from these norms.