Summary of 9. Sparta (cont.)

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00:00:00 - 01:00:00

The video discusses the possible existence of a man named Lycurgus, who may have introduced laws that helped the Spartan state become what it is today. The conquest of Mycenae in the first Mycenaean War is important because it allows the Spartans to enslave a whole people and turn them into helots. The Mycenaean Wars were a series of conflicts fought by the Spartans over the course of two generations. The first war was fought against the Mycenaeans, and the second war was fought against the helots who rebelled and fortified themselves on Ithome mountain. After the wars, the Spartans became more centralized and effectively ruled by a single ruler.

00:00:00 The Spartans were a very powerful polis that became a model for the philosophers who came along in the late fifth and fourth centuries.
00:05:00 The Spartans were originally Dorians, but over time they became the dominant people in the Peloponnesus. At first, they ruled over subordinate Achaean Greeks, but eventually they began to enslave other groups of Greeks, calling them helots. The perioikoi were free, self-sufficient farmers who did not live in the city of Sparta. They were also engaged in small-scale trade and industry. The Spartans considered themselves Lycurgus' descendants and claimed that he had instituted the perfect form of government for Sparta.
00:10:00 The video discusses the possible existence of a man named Lycurgus, who may have introduced laws that helped the Spartan state become what it is today. The conquest of Mycenae in the first Mycenaean War is important because it allows the Spartans to enslave a whole people and turn them into helots.
00:15:00 The Mycenaean Wars were a series of conflicts fought by the Spartans over the course of two generations. The first war was fought against the Mycenaeans, and the second war was fought against the helots who rebelled and fortified themselves on Ithome mountain. After the wars, the Spartans became more centralized and effectively ruled by a single ruler.
00:20:00 The 9-part video series discusses the traditional story of Lycurgus, who is said to have laid out the laws and customs of Sparta, establishing a constitutional ultimate reform in which Sparta became unlike any other state in the Greek world and was the subject of admiration throughout the millennia. The series argues that this traditional story is not accurate and that Sparta became a slave-holding state like no other Greek state in the period.
00:25:00 The Sparta of ancient Greece was a unique and powerful society because of its strict adherence to eugenics - the belief that the health and well-being of society as a whole depends on the genetic health of its citizens. Boys entering Spartan society at the age of seven were taken away from their families and put into a military school, where they were subjected to harsh treatment from other boys. At the age of 12, they were ready to become citizens and begin their lives as full members of society.
00:30:00 Sparta was a militaristic society where young boys were trained to be tough and to be able to survive in difficult conditions. They were also given physical training and education in poetry and music.
00:35:00 Xenophon, an Athenian who spent many years living in Sparta, describes the intense spiritual and homosexual relationships between an older man and a teenage boy in Sparta. These relationships were only a phase for the boys, and when the boys reached manhood they were free to marry and have children with their wives. Xenophon also discusses the Spartan system of training and education, which includes separating young men from their wives in order to create loyal soldiers.
00:40:00 The Spartan system of military training and social life was designed to produce disciplined and unified soldiers who were capable of enduring great hardship and achieving great accomplishments. The system emphasized self-reliance, loyalty to one's unit, obedience to superiors, and uniformity of experience. The Spartans believed that there was nothing greater than the bond of brotherhood and that each individual should strive to be the best he can be.
00:45:00 The Spartans were noted for their equal treatment of all members of society, although there were differences in age, honor, and wealth. Over time, these differences grew into inequalities. Women were also different from other Greek women, and as such, they were not considered full Spartans if they did not have the same father and mother as other Spartans.
00:50:00 The Spartan women were treated as equals to the men and engaged in physical exercise and athletics in the nude just as the boys did. This difference in treatment led to different expectations and desires in the Spartan society.
00:55:00 This passage from Tyrtaeus speaks to the importance of courage in war, and how it is the most fundamental quality a man can have. He doesn't care about a man if he doesn't have this quality.

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The author discusses the idea of bravery in the context of ancient Greek warfare, noting that it is not only a good thing to survive a battle, but to achieve glory as well. He also mentions the idea of a man's children becoming immortal after he dies in battle. The Spartan constitution is unique in that it contains elements of all other constitutions, including a monarchy and an aristocracy. The kings have priestly responsibilities and are in charge of leading the Spartan army. They are also judges in all cases of public importance and sit on the council that advises the state. When an heiress or a child is adopted, the kings make the decision.