Spartan Women Research Paper

Pomeroy explains the life style and ways of Spartan women and the rise to be known and important as the Spartan men. Naturally, we think of Spartan women fierce, brave, queens, and pure. Spartan women took advantage of each opportunity that was heading their way and conquered it with no fear in their hearts. Those women are viewed today as a “force” not to be reckoned with. Pomeroy describes these women as, “Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil said, “Oh no, she’s up!”

The paper will focus on various ways in which the role of women in Sparta and Athens was similar as well as the differences regarding their education, rights, social life, religion, and

Spartan women could have almost anything job other than priests and anything to do with military or government. Women in Sparta were also very educated in writing, art, and athletics. Women in Athens could not go in public, they couldn’t vote, the only education they got was weaving and spinning, and they couldn’t own property. They were however able to use the court for legal issues. They were supposed to stay at home at watch the kids and cook food.

In Athens, women were mostly secluded from many things. They could not vote, leave the house without permission from their husband, and more. In Sparta, the rules for women were much more lenient. Spartan women would train with the men and could own land. In both Sparta and Athens, women could marry and raise children.

In school both boys and girls would learn reading, writing, mathematics, basic-combat, and self-defense. Even Athenian philosophers like Plato and Socrates praised this education system. In Athens only the boys were educated for the most part, so most women went through there lives being illiterate. Other then the blatant gender equality issues the Athenian government had many problems as well. Athens may have had a democracy, but that didn't save the, from corruption.

Sparta was the first civilization to treat women fairly. For example, in the book The Politics of Aristotle, Aristotle wrote, “For, a husband and wife being each a part of every family, the state may be considered as about equally divided into men and women” (Doc. D). This explains how Sparta was the first civilization to treat women fairly because gender does not play a part in how many rights and freedom one has. Sparta allowed women to get physical training, just like men. As well, while Spartan men were off at war, they had full charge over their household.

“Education was very important in Athens. From their mothers, girls learned how to cook and sew and run a home, and how to be a good wife and mother. Boys went to school. They studied public speaking and drama and reading and writing. Sons of nobles went to high school for four more years of learning about the sciences and the arts and politics and government.”

As happens to all civilizations, Sparta peaked and then lost the power and glory it once held. In 370 B.C, Thebes defeated Sparta in battle, leaving the Spartan army in critical condition. Seeing their chance, the Messenians revolted and regained their independence, never again to be under Sparta’s control. This pivotal event was especially devastating for the women, who’s roles in society were clearly linked to their domination of Messenia. They were not needed for management of lands and people, as the men lost their purpose for a full-time army.

Similarity, in Sparta, women were educated in art, music, war, physical education and philosophy.

Women were thought of as dependents of the father or husband. Women lived in gynaeceum: women’s quarters where they could oversee the running of the home and have very little contact with the male world (O’Pry, 2012). Spartan women, on the other hand, seem to have a bit more freedom and were able to own property. Sparta allowed for women to get educated in the same manner as the males. Sparta had a laid back culture and men were to serve in their military.

The women in both societies were treated as inferior to the men, having no political rights whatsoever. Both, Sparta and Athens, participated in slavery. Although, Athens’ slaves were privately owned while Spartans’ belonged to the entire group of Spartan warriors. Both political systems had a form of voting.

Sparta’s women were known for their promiscuity and boldness . On account of Sparta’s strict militaristic lifestyle, their lives were very different compared to regular women in most city-states of Greece. Although their main job is still child-bearing, this job held much more honor and respect because in theory, a Spartan women gave birth to strong, Spartan boys who would in turn become strong and successful soldiers for Sparta’s renowned military . Just as boys were trained to become soldiers from a young age, girls were taught to be the mothers a militant Sparta

The Spartan women were able to own plots of land and run their own households, they even got an education. At Athens, got a little amount of formal education and had less

The degree to which Spartan women were free was depicted correctly in the movie; allowing women to have any kind of freedom was as standard in Spartan society as it was unique. As seen in the film, Queen Gorgo speaks directly to the Persian emissary, with which the emissary responds, “What makes this woman think she can speak among men?” (300). The emissary’s reaction to being addressed by a woman is justified because in the other societies during the 5th century B.C., women were allowed very little freedom. Contrastingly, Spartan women were granted freedom due to “The perpetual absence of men who were on military duty created a division of labor in which women managed domestic affairs” (Pomeroy, pp. 106) and as a result, “Their ownership and

Sparta, a militaristic strong community, forced boys to undergo intense military training; so that, once they were of age, the boys join the army and fight for Sparta. A family’s social standing did not exempt a boy from this training. Girls in Spartan society were also given training and practice in these arts. These trainings were only for people without an anomaly; for example, if a child was born with hearing difficulties, visually impaired, or a deformed limb that child will be disregarded and left to die on his or