![]() ![]() ![]() Indeed, foreign poets would often go to Sparta to perform because they were assured of a warm reception. In histories written by Plutarch, Herodotus and others, we find a picture not of stern, militaristic ascetics but of bons vivants and patrons of the arts. Granted, Spartan citizens also pursued rugged pastimes such as equestrianism, but their love of poetry and dance belies a contempt of pleasure. The city-state’s helots, or serfs, took care of agriculture, while the higher-ranking but non-citizen perioikoi oversaw crafts, military procurement and commerce. than in any other Greek city-state.įull citizens had ample time for entertainments because Spartan law forbade them to work, and there were two lower classes of people to look after their needs. Spartans were devoted to all kinds of pleasurable pursuits, particularly the arts: It is widely believed that there were more poets in Sparta during the seventh and sixth centuries B.C. King Agesilaus II-who led the Spartan Army at the peak of its power in the fourth century B.C.-proclaimed that one of Sparta’s greatest strengths was its citizens’ “contempt of pleasure.”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |