Above Crete, on the Mainland of Greece, there once was a country known as Sparta. It became a military-based country in the late eighth century B.C. when it conquered a neighboring district called Messenia. The Spartan citizens obtained the majority of the Messenian land, while the pitiable Messenians were reduced to slaves.
The former Messenians and new Spartan slaves were dubbed Helots. These Helots outnumbered their captors ten to one. Because of their numerical advantage, they devised a rebellion and attempted to revolt in the late seventh century B.C., which sorrowfully failed. Light was shone upon the slim ledge of peril the Spartans stood on. They realized the necessity of a powerful military to keep their slaves in check. Because the Helots did all the work, the Spartans could devote their time to forming and maintaining a military.
Intriguingly, the Spartan form of government, their Polis, had two kings. Below these two were twenty-eight men who formed the council of elders. These twenty-eight were required to be sixty or older and were elected for the rest of their lives. Bellow the council of elders was the executive board of five ephors, elected for just one year. Then there was the assembly of citizens, consisting of every Spartan male over thirty. The assembly voted yes or no on decisions decided by the government. Whichever side, yes or no, shouted the loudest would win! The assembly had power, albeit limited. The thirty men at the top, the two kings, and the twenty-eight council of elders dominated the entire system.
At the age of seven, every Spartan boy, who was not first deemed unfit to live and killed by the government, left home and joined military training for thirteen years. During these thirteen years, they endured many challenges and difficulties. Spartan boys were required to kill Helots. All their freewill was sucked away, and they obeyed the Polis with their entirety.
Upon entering training, they were not given shoes, only one cloak. Purposefully insignificant when faced with the freezing Spartan winters, having just one cloak taught them to endure the cold. They were fed just enough food to keep them going. Evidently, these growing boys would want lots to eat. Not getting enough, they would endeavor to steal. The authorities knew this and wanted them to. Harsh punishments were set in place if one were caught, so don’t get caught! In this barbaric way, Spartan boys, striving to fill their bellies, learned to be clever, sneaky, and quick, as their government wanted them to be.
After the thirteen years were up and they were twenty, the boys, now men, entered the citizen army. They were then allowed to marry but still lived at the army barracks. They could only visit their wives if they could evade the guards and make it home. Again, there was possible brutal punishment and the requirement for cleverness, sneakiness, and quickness of foot. Of course, the government wanted them to aspire andsliphome. If the men could not, there would be no next generation to succeed them.
By the age of thirty, the men became citizens of Sparta. However, they still were required to eat their meals at a public mess hall with the others. Even though most had families and were publicly humiliated by the government if they didn’t, they were to eat with the other men to see them as their true family. Not surprisingly, the food was very unappetizing.
Examining the way Sparta treated its citizens, it is no surprise the slaves were treated even worse. They had little to no freedom, did all the work, and were killed by Spartans without a second thought. But even with everyone under submission and their impenetrable military, Sparta still had its weaknesses.
First off, Sparta never developed much of a navy. All Spartans too, lived in a constant state of fear that the numerous Helots would revolt. This led to Sparta never daring to venture out on military endeavors for fear of a revolt while their forces were away and unable to help. On top of this, there was the Peloponnesian League. This league was led by Sparta and consisted of other countries allied to Sparta. There is proof that this league possessed considerable power. In 440 B.C., Sparta attempted war against Athens but was overridden by the votes of the majority of the Peloponnesian League.
Greek countries, including Athens, owned slaves, but Sparta, by far, took it to preposterous amounts.
Alena Coons 
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