Roles of Spartan Women

Question 1 With reference to source A, what does the evidence break-dance nigh the graphemes and status of wo work force in wicked edict. In S expounda, wowork force were well respected and had quadruple qualitys within society. They were conducen more license than in most opposite Grecian societies. The primary(prenominal) reason for this was the fact that S graphic symbola had a warrior culture and the men were forward any(prenominal)(prenominal) at war or information for war. while the men were away the women had octuple roles. The most important of which was to give extradite to goodly grave children to become warriors.Some of the other roles women had included participating in apparitional festivals, and servicemanaging the kleros. As mentioned above, the most important role of grave women was to give birth to level- gaffered spartan babies to become warriors. Xenophon stated for give up women the most important job was to remain firm children. In ord er to produce bouncing children, women underwent physical training. This was because it was thought that a tidy mother would produce a healthy child. Lycurgus stated that only women who died in vaginal birth would be aloneowed to have a pronounced grave.Archaeological evidence has been found to support this statement. This highlights the brilliance of childbirth in Spartan society. From birth, mothers discipline their children and instilled the attitudes of the agoge. They implanted the ideas of performing at nonp aril and were responsible for raising children to conform and be loyal to Sparta. When their sons reached the age of seven, the mothers would freely give their sons to the agoge for their military training.Women would maintain the ideologies of the agoge and Spartan society by ridiculing men that were cowards and praising those who were heroes. Plutarch speaks of this in source A. In Sparta, marriage by capture was thought to have been practised. As described by Plut arch, the bride would have her head shaved, she would be dressed in mens clothes, and she would accordingly lie in a dark room. The men would then come into the room, lift her onto the bed, have talk with her, and then return to his normal quiescence arrange. t is said that these customs were practiced in order to give the man feel more comfortable about having intercourse with a woman. From this point onwards, meetings amid the couple were possess in secret. Xenophon suggests that this was done to build up excitement and intimate tension so that when they finally did meet, the outcome produced would be stronger and healthier as a result. There is evidence to show that Spartan women had an important role in Spartan religion. Archaeological evidence has been found at the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia.This evidence includes hundreds of votive whirls. These offering were usually lead figurines in the haoma of women. It is thought that these figurines symbolised childbirth and pregnant women would make these offerings either to ask for a boffo childbirth or to ask to contribute a strong, healthy son. Women too took part in three of the major festivals that took place in Sparta the Karneia, the Hyakinthia and the Gymnopaediae. At the Hyakinthia, women rode in watching chariots, marched in procession, sung, danced and took part in sacrifices.At the Gymnopaediae, women would debate with the males in athletic competitions. Spartan women also had a small, yet important role in the Spartan economy. Spartan women were compulsory to oversee the kleros while the men were away at war or training. This meant that the men were dependent on their wifes efficiency in order to fork up their contribution to the syssitia. Women could also inherit blank space from her familys estate. However, she did not own this land. sooner this land either formed part of a dowry or was passed onto her sons.According to Aristotle approximately two-fifths of the only country is held by women. The main sources we have that relate to Spartan women all have limitations. Some of the main writers that we assoil information from are Herodotus, Aristotle, Thucydides, Plutarch and Xenophon. The reliability of these sources is moderate due to the fact that none of the writers were from Sparta, they are all male, and the fact that it was seen has normal to make up stories rather than tell the whole truth.Some of the information provided may have been stereotypes created in order to emphasise the warrior nature of Sparta, merely the information is nonetheless useful to novel day historians. In conclusion, Spartan women were a crucial part of Spartan society. without them, there would be no soldiers for the army nor would the kleros be run smoothly while the men were away at war or in training. It is through different sources, both archaeological and written, that it is evident that Spartan women had some degree of power and responsibilities within Spartan socie ty.