Spartan Women Essay

Submitted By GrizelleM1
Words: 1287
Pages: 6

Grizelle Medina
Research paper
History 113 Sparta was filled with powerful men and women. Sparta was the head of the new Peloponnesian league. In Sparta the men stood recognizable. Spartan men were fearful warriors who devoted their lives to fighting, and training for war. Their lungs were filled with the training to fight and nothing else mattered. However Spartan women enjoyed their freedom. (book: Paul Cartledge The Spartans: the world of the warrior-heroes of ancient Greece 2012) The women of Sparta have a vital role within Sparta society as they were responsible for producing healthy babies as well as partaking in the running of the economy. The differ greatly their greek counterparts in that not only do they have an education which enables them to participate on Spartan society but the can own land and partake in sports and ceremonies. In this article Spartan wives: Liberation or License Paul Cartledge 1981, praises that the women had the women. Unlike the Athenian women the Spartan women did not put make-up to attract their husbands instead they worked excessively worked out to show their physique. Female excellence consisted of merely bodily beauty, physique, sexual self-control, modesty and also seriousness. In terms of the power and freedom of Spartan women, Spartan wives: liberation or license Paul Cartledge 1981 and the article The Spartan society: structural ritualization in an ancient social system by J. Dacid Knottnerus and Phyllis E. Berry 2002 have similar interest, but the article on Spartan Wives: liberation or license Paul Cartledge 1981 goes in depth of the Spartan women and there given freedom during 480 to 360 BC.
As said by Paul Cartledge 1981, Spartan children were even educated and well fed. Many ancient Greek women were under the control of men from birth to death. Spartan women had way more rights then the other women of different city- states. They were able to own and control their own property, even having the right to pass down there children. Unlike their other greek counter parts Spartan women received a thorough education and harsh upbringing so they could play a greater role in Spartan society. Spartans were they only greek society that prescribles a public education for girls. (paul cartledge) Education would be one of the differences, which made the Spartan women different from the rest of the women living in the dissimilar city-states. Spartan girls from the age of 7 were entitled to an education. This education was physical more than academic but was extremely important to Sparta, as they are the only Greeks to have instituted it as state policy. The girls were taught gymnastics, wrestling and survival skills.
(Spartan wives: liberation or license Paul Cartledge 1981) During that time women/people were subject to slavery by male-controlled uprising. Wealth was highly valued, and Spartan women ruled over their Spartan men. (Paul Cartledge) Spartan women enjoyed their freedom of having the pleasure and authority to own their own property and have a voice in choosing their own husband. Spartan women spent there days engaging in athletics, songs, dancing, and celebration. According to The Spartan society: structural ritualization in an ancient social system by J. Dacid Knottnerus and Phyllis E. Berry 2002 Marriqage tradition and married carried off his bride in secretcy. The bride would be dressed in male clothing with her hair cut short for her wedding. This is thoughT to have been this way because all of the homosexual interactions a male spartan would have during the time in the army, so in a sense the groom might frind it easyier to elate to his bride if she looked some what maskulin. Once married the couples wouls not live together for the first 12 years of there marriage because the male was forced to live in the baroques with the Spartan army. In that time if the bride could not get pregnant, the marriage which was held in complete secrecy, would not be publicy nolified.