Type of Society
The Spartan society was an agricultural society, which also had a strong militant focus. The land in Sparta had been divided into 9,000 equal areas, and each family recieved a piece to farm on. Spartans themselves didn't do the farming, but rather their slaves (called Helots) did. The Helots kept half of the harvest, while the Spartan who owned the land used the rest to pay his taxes and sustain his family.
The Spartans themselves were much more likely to be a warrior than to farm their own land. Every Spartan boy who completed military training (which was mandatory) became a warrior, and served his state for the duration of his lifetime. Second to kings, warriors were the most respected citizens in Sparta, and it was considered an honor to be one.
The Spartans themselves were much more likely to be a warrior than to farm their own land. Every Spartan boy who completed military training (which was mandatory) became a warrior, and served his state for the duration of his lifetime. Second to kings, warriors were the most respected citizens in Sparta, and it was considered an honor to be one.
Type of Family
The people of Sparta technically lived in a nuclear family, but interactions with other family members was quite limited. It started when the baby was born, as soldiers would come to the house and decide whether they thought the baby would be strong enough to have the privilege of continuing to live. If the child was deemed weak, they were left outside to die. During childhood, a nurse would have the primary care of the baby, and mothers would be frowned upon if they showed any kindness or softness towards their child. At the age of seven, boys would leave to warrior school, and girls would leave to a school not unlike the boys', but the girls would not become warriors. It was thought that if girls endured military training, they would turn into strong mothers, and in turn would have strong babies. After the children graduated from their school, they would have a marriage arranged for them by the state. The young men would continue to live in their soldier barracks, while the women would find a house. After marriage, the only time the wife and husband met was to procreate. All of this lead to families not being considered important in Sparta, and their sole purpose was to create more children.
Religion
The Spartans religion was that of Ancient Greece, which was polytheistic. There was a heirarchy of gods and goddesses, with Zeus being the king of all gods. Greek gods were not all powerful, but some had power over certain aspects of nature (ie Posiedon had control of the seas.) The gods were believed to live on Mount Olympus, but also had certain cities dedicated to them throughout Greece. The Spartans believed in an afterlife, much like heaven and hell, but with different names: Elysium and Tartarus, respectively. Although the Spartans were not known to be overly religious, they did follow these beliefs.
Education
Both Spartan girls and boys started their education at the age of seven. They would stay in school for ten years, and graduate at the age of eighteen. The purpose of the girls' school was to create strong mothers, while the boys' goal was to become a warrior. Both gender's schools were run in a militaristic style, and were quite harsh and strict. Those who did not graduate with the requirements were demoted to the social status of perioeci, basically middle class. However, if they met graduation requirements, they would remain Spartans (which was actually the highest class of those living in Sparta, and the only ones with citezenship) for the rest of thier life.