GRK 142 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Helots, Barter, Castor And Pollux
Document Summary
Thermopylae great loss for spartans but they consider it a victory: worthy opponent for a huge army, many men died with honor. Prehistory: southeastern peloponnese which provides a natural defense, in a valley, near eurotas river, trojan war fought for helen. Cult for agamemnon: descendants of heracles because heracleidae (sons of heracle) colonized here, was a mycenaean palace. Conquests of messenia: 8th century bc, first powerful city-state to hold power over others, spartans make them slaves (helots, fertile land so spartans take it. First slave society economy is dependent on helots so they fall when helots are set free (much later: spartans outnumbered by helots, have lycurgus make laws to keep helots at bay. People have a say but king has the right to ignore it. Political structure: two kings (one from each house) Serve until death and then son: gerousia council of elders. 30 members elected except for kings. Conservative maintain rituals: assembly homoioi (equals)
