HUM 2 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Helots, Tyrant, Spartiate
Document Summary
Avoid the present view that tyranny is just a step towards something else. Never had a tyrant, and so hostile towards tyranny that they would take down. Late 9th century formed by 4 tribes (polis partnership of several villages) Never has true urban core at the center. Thucydides remarks, that if history were lost and all that you had left of sparta were ruins, that future people would not believe that it was the most powerful city-state. Early 8th century at the latest sparta assumed leadership of laconia. Only adult males have real civil rights. Not part of the 5 tribes of sparta. Dominant form of slavery was chattle slavery wherein the slaves were purely property (rest of greece) Are property of spartan state, not individuals (granted/assigned to. Chances of ever achieving freedom was nearly impossible. Routinely punished in accordance with spartan law. Majority of agricultural labor done by helots caused a civil war.
