The Rise and Fall of Sparta: It's impact on Greek Culture - Essay Example

The Rise and fall of Sparta: Its Impact on Greek Culture Introduction Sparta was Greece’s military in ancient Greece, and the Spartans dedicated their lives to serve in the military. The philosophy guiding the administration of Sparta dictated that the life of a Spartan belonged to the state, and that soldiers should be strong enough to protect their people. As such, men and women in Sparta engaged in military training from their childhood, and lived under military discipline for the better part of their lives. By the 6th Century B. C., Sparta’s military strength was unmatched in Greece. However, recurrent wars with Persia, Athens and Macedonia in later years weakened the might of the Spartans and led to its destruction in A. D. 395. This paper discusses the impact of the rise and fall of Sparta on Greek culture. The rise and fall of Sparta Background Before its destruction by Visigoths in A.D 396, Sparta was the capital of Laconia, and was located on the Peloponnesus, southwest of Athens (History World 2011). Sparta was the rival of Athens in ancient Greece mainly due to the prowess of its armies in wars, while Athens’ popularity lay in learning, art, and architecture. The city was created by Dorian Greeks who invaded the region and took over the Laconia and Messenia countryside, particularly due to the fertility of the area. The culture of military arts and war was rife among the population of Sparta. Girls and boys alike engaged in community-based exercises to keep fit, and mature adult males were part of the Spartan army. Consequently, the prowess of the Spartans in war was unmatched for a long time across Greece. Over time, Sparta acquired slaves known as helots, and the state forced them to work in the farms owned by Spartan citizens, who were the only ones with the legal right to own land in the city (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). Spartan citizens could also own helots and although they could not sell them, they denied them the freedom to engage in any form of commerce for gain. Helots had no rights in Sparta, legal or civil, and part of the produce from their labor was paid to their masters. With time, however, their population in Sparta grew beyond controllable measures and they started an uprising against the citizens of Sparta. However, the helots were defeated and the uprising quelled, but the incidence prompted the Spartan citizens to form a full-time army to control the helots. Lycurgus, a leader of the Spartan population, formulated the social and military policies whose ideologies were used to develop the military society. The system was later named the Lycurgus system in his honor, and its policies were adopted into the Sparta constitution (Walsh 1994). The system of incorporating military doctrines into the community and turning every rightful citizen of Sparta into a soldier made the Spartan army a formidable force, turning the practice into a culture in Sparta. The Spartan governing philosophy dictated that the life of the Spartans belonged to the state. As such, male Spartans dedicated their lives to the military from birth. Elders inspected boys at birth to ascertain their fitness for war, and all physically fit male Spartans were taken from their mothers at the age of seven to begin military training. Such boys became soldiers at the age of 20 years, and were made citizens at the age of 30 years (CEE 2010). Their service in the Spartan army continued until the age of 60 years, and this ensured that Sparta had an army fit for combat at all times. Women, on the other hand, were under less strict military discipline, although they too were part of the military society. Sparta’s administration was governed by two kings elected from two families, mainly in consideration to their expertise in religion and in battle. Although the kings were capable of making leadership decisions on behalf of the Spartan population, they were under the scrutiny of a council of elders and an assembly of citizens. Moreover, leadership in Sparta was under the rule of ephors, comprising of a legislative, judicial and an executive board of five Spartan citizens (CEE 2010). Elected annually, the board of ephors functioned in partnership with the two hereditary kings. However, state decisions were made in secret as opposed to the democratic methods of decision-making practiced in Athens (Neiva 2004). Sparta formed and dominated a confederacy of allies before 500 B.C., and it fought alongside Athens in most of the major wars of the region. However, rivalry between Sparta and Athens increased after the Persian war. Around the same time, a major earthquake hit Sparta with devastating results, followed by a revolt by Messenia. Although these occurrences weakened Sparta, the Spartan army triumphed against Athens in the Peloponnesian War that followed, leaving it in ruins (History World 2011). Afterwards, Persia, Athens, Thebans and Macedonia variously advanced wars against Sparta, with the Thebans succeeding in destroying the might of the Spartan army. Attempts by king Agis IV, king Cleomenes III and king Nabis to restore the glory of Sparta following its defeat proved futile. Goths devastated the reign of Sparta in A.D 395 and later destroyed the city (CEE 2010). Currently, the new city of Sparta partly occupies the ancient site of the old Sparta near the Eurotas River, a few miles from the Gulf of Messenia. The new Sparta was built after the war of independence in Greece in 1834, and still harbors ancient sites as reminders of the old Sparta. Impact of the rise of Sparta on Greek culture Gender roles Following the uprising staged by helots against the citizens of Sparta, the Lycurgus system dictated that every citizen had the role of defending the city from uprisings and revolts. Sparta had no walls as other cities at the time had, since the Lycurgus philosophy believed that the role of protecting people lay with soldiers, not walls. Using this system, every citizen in the city was subjected to military exercises and doctrines in readiness for defense (Cartledge 2002). The Spartan army was renowned for its military prowess in ancient Greece, often leading to increased rivalry with other armies of the time. Men and women in the community lived under military doctrines and were to be physically fit for combat. Although this was a measure aimed at ensuring security and safety for the Sparta citizens, the culture of physical and military training for every citizen regardless of gender served to instill industriousness in Sparta, a tradition that lasted long after the fall of the regime. The rise of Sparta led to some degree of equality in gender roles, particularly due to the system of military society. Men and women engaged in military activities and exercises, and boys and girls alike lived under military doctrines. Training for boys begun at a young age to cultivate courage and perseverance in battle, and strict regulations were imposed on them to enhance their bravery. Similarly, girls underwent military training but with less stringent rules. The Lycurgus system of a military society did not discriminate against the citizens of Sparta based on gender, and roles for boys and girls did not differ to a large degree (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). In Sparta, men and women were equally suited to undertake agricultural production duties (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). The agricultural tasks performed by the men and women of Sparta involved production management, particularly the allotment and allocation of helots to production activities, and the supervision of tasks performed by the slaves. This was contrary to prevailing practices and traditions by communities in other cities in the region, since women in most of Greece minimally participated in agricultural activities (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). Allocating farm managerial roles to women improved their participation in community decision-making in ancient Greece, particularly pertaining to agricultural production. Consequently, the role of women in ancient Greece increased. The rise of Sparta integrated gender roles in Greece by implementing citizenship requirements and granting citizens near equal rights. In ancient Greece, women were not allowed to own land and property, but since land ownership rights in Sparta were granted to citizens equally, women in Sparta could own land and property, including slaves (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). Land ownership rights for women in Sparta transformed the culture of people around the city at the time, creating reason for people to respect and treat women more equally. With the rise of Sparta, however, the role of men in the community turned to military engagements and fighting in defense of the community. Boys as young as seven years were subjected to military training to prepare them for wars, and they remained in the service of the army until they were sixty years old (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). Although they were allowed to marry, they spent most of their time in military barracks and could not host their wives in the camps. As such, they did not have enough time to cater for their families or to engaging in parenting roles. The rise of the military system defined the role of men as defenders of the community, affecting the role such men should play in raising their children. Men devoted their lives fully to serve in the military, and were often away from their households. At the time, fighting and wars between different armies was common in Greece, thus the dedication of the soldiers to military training and discipline was essential (Walsh 1994). Being renowned for its military prowess, Spartans had to maintain their fighting form in defense of their city and fame, leading to the need for more time spent in training and actual combat. With the growth of rivalry between Sparta and other cities, armies in different parts of Greece increased their dedication in training, and with time, the culture of men devoting their lives to serve in the army was established (Cartledge 2002). The rise of Sparta was thus influential in defining the role of men and women in ancient Greece, and in creating distinct tasks for both genders in the community. With time, women adopted agricultural production and management roles, while men stuck to their military service. Women empowerment The rise of Sparta promoted women empowerment in ancient Greece. In Sparta, citizens had near equal rights in the ownership of land and property. The military system in the city dictated that the lives of men belonged to the state, and as such, men spent a better part of their lives serving in the army (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). Agricultural activities in Sparta, for instance tilling, planting, harvesting, and manual farm labor were allocated to slaves held by Sparta citizens. Initially before adoption of the Lycurgus system, men did the allotment and supervision of slaves to work in farms, after which the need for all men to serve in the army created a gap in the management of agricultural activities. The Lycurgus system led to the empowerment of women with the responsibility of managing agricultural estates cultivated by the slaves. Given that men previously held the roles, the need to ensure the women’s devotion to the tasks was evident. Direct monitoring of the women as they performed the tasks proved ineffective, as men spent their time in military barracks undergoing training. Moreover, direct monitoring was costly, and management efforts seemed difficult to observe (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). The Spartan leadership decided to empower women with the decision-making authority on issues pertaining to agricultural production in the farms. The empowerment involved creation of incentives for women to enhance their devotion, and provision of managerial knowledge to equip their decisions. Women were permitted to inherit and bequeath land in Sparta as a way of motivating them to have dedication in their managerial duties. At the time, land ownership by women was not permitted in ancient Greece. With the adoption of policies allowing women to inherit and bequeath land, their devotion to agricultural management was increased since the right to property ownership served as an incentive for personal achievement (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). With time, property ownership by women increased Sparta’s agricultural production enough to support the military system in the community. Women empowerment in ancient Greece was also undertaken through widespread education for girls (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). The Sparta constitution allowed women to receive formal education as opposed to practices in most other regions in Greece. Usually, girls were not taught to read or write, and were mostly expected to undertake general housekeeping duties. The Spartan constitution allowed girls to learn more than housekeeping and basic literacy skills, increasing their ability to manage helot-worked estates effectively. The constitution empowered women in Sparta by granting them freedom of movement, allowing them to move about freely in public (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). The system also discouraged women in Sparta from engaging in household duties typical among women in other regions in ancient Greece. Collectively, these social norms served to empower women by promoting their participation in community development, and were notable contributions to the culture in Greece brought by the rise of Sparta. In Sparta, women empowerment allowed them to get married at a later age as opposed to practices common in other parts of Greece (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). The delayed age of getting married and starting a family enabled women to undertake managerial activities with maturity, and to make more informed production decisions. As such, the investment in women was empowering and satisfying, and the rise of Sparta promoted a fairer treatment of women as opposed to other cities in ancient Greece. Collectivity The rise of Sparta promoted the growth of unity and social cohesion among communities in Greece. In Sparta, citizens lived under military discipline with a common goal of protecting themselves from revolts and uprisings (Walsh 1994). They were subjected to military training and exercises regardless of gender, with boys engaging in such exercises from a tender age. Although men devoted their lives to the service of the state in the army, women too were part of the military system, and they too took part in the martial exercises. The system promoted harmony in the society through communal undertakings, and encouraged the culture of unity in most of ancient Greece. Sparta formed a confederacy of allies before 500 B.C. with other cities in ancient Greece. The confederacy enabled the cities, Sparta included, to achieve success collectively in ventures that would be difficult to accomplish individually. Sparta was a military giant for a long time in ancient Greece, and its participation in wars alongside ally armies increased the likelihood of victory. For instance, Sparta fought beside Athens in most of the Persian Wars in which the two cities were engaged in (CEE 2010). The culture of forming allies and confederacies assisted cities with weak armies to overcome invasions by their rivals, since such cities could rely on the help of their strong ally armies. The rise of Sparta promoted the growth of such confederacies due to the Spartans’ might in battle, and the culture characterized most of the wars fought in ancient Greece (History World 2011). In essence, communities engaged in collective efforts to achieve common goals, and such collectivity was witnessed with the formation of allies against common enemies. After the rise of Sparta, various armies formed allies to overcome the reign of the Spartans, as did Sparta form allies to overcome its rivals, for instance when it fought beside Athens against Persia. Bravery and persistence The culture of bravery among Spartan men, and by extension among men in ancient Greece, was evident with the rise of Sparta. Following the invasion and successful seizure of Messenia, the Messenians revolted against Sparta, but were defeated and turned into slaves on farms owned by Spartan citizens (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). Consequently, Sparta developed the need to protect itself from future revolts and possible invasions from its rivals, and adopted the Lycurgus system that required every citizen to be under military doctrines. Girls were not spared by the military system, and they too were required to join in military training and exercises. The system of a military society in Sparta promoted the development of courage among the community, and led to the Spartans renowned prowess in military engagements. Boys fit enough to be soldiers got into the military from the age of seven years and turned into soldiers at the age of 20. They were subjected to harsh conditions during the training to instill discipline, courage and cultivate bravery within them for war situations. The training philosophy taught that it was dishonorable for a man to retreat or surrender in battle, and as such, the Spartan army often exhibited great courage and bravery in war (Cartledge 2002). The Spartans’ bravery and courage in training and in battle made the army a military force to reckon with in ancient Greece. The soldiers were expected to fight to their death rather than surrender or retreat, and this culture of bravery became a legacy across ancient Greece. Since it was instilled in them from childhood, parents were aware of the need for courage in their sons, and they encouraged them to die for their city rather than surrender and lose their dignity (Cartledge 2002). In ancient Greece, armies considered battles to be contests for might and prowess, and preparing for such competitions was a full time occupation for most men. The might of an army in wars brought honor to the people, and even in training, signs of fear were met with harsh reprisals. Sparta dominated over a confederacy of cities in the region, and its rule in ancient Greece lasted until 371 B.C. The Spartan army was able to overcome various revolts by Messonians, and it emerged victorious against Athens in the Peloponnesian War, leaving it in ruins (History World 2011). The culture of bravery and courage in soldiers spread across ancient Greece as evidenced through different wars in its history. The rise of Sparta was vital in promoting such culture, since with the increase in its dominance; rival armies had to cultivate more confidence in their soldiers to face the Spartans. Although women in Sparta did not take part in actual military engagements, their bravery was instilled through the doctrines dictated by the military system, and in managing agricultural activities. Helots, who had great hatred towards the citizens of Sparta, cultivated farms and provided the manual labor required for grain cultivation (Cartledge 2002). Since women had the role of managing agricultural productivity, they had to make firm decisions while dealing with the slaves, and as such, bravery was a necessity. Rivalry The rise of Sparta led to increased rivalry between cities, armies and people in ancient Greece. The growth of Sparta’s popularity begun with its raid and capture of Messenia, since with it, it gained fertile land and held the dwellers captive. As expected, the Messenians did not take the capture of their land lightly, and they advanced various revolts against the Spartans but without success. The rivalry between Sparta and Messenia thus resulted from the seizure of their land and their subjection to slave labor, and as variously reported, there were always tensions between the two groups (History World 2011). With the rise of Sparta and its increasing prowess in military actions, its rivalry with other cities increased. On various occasions, Sparta was at war with rival armies from Athens, Macedonia, and Persia. Sparta had formed and dominated over a confederacy with other cities, and the domination often caused tensions among the different armies. In addition, the struggle for power in ancient Greece among the military powers increased with the rise of Sparta, leading to regular battles for dominance. Rivalry among populations was evident through the continued tensions between Messenians and the citizens of Sparta. After the capture of Messenia, the Spartans turned them into slaves and treated them with contempt (Cartledge 2002). The Messenians provided farm labor for the citizens of Sparta, and were even supposed to pay a portion of their producer to their Spartan masters. This increased the culture of slavery and rivalry between the masters and the slaves, and such rivalry continued throughout the reign of Sparta. Evidently, the rivalry was evident through the various attempts at overcoming the Spartan domination advanced by the helots. The fall of Sparta and the impact on Greek Culture Control The rise and fall of Sparta was quite dramatic, given the dominance of the city at the time. Its rise brought with it a new culture in the country and its fall ushered in a new era. Alexander the great, who was at one point the leader of the Greeks after the fall of Sparta, incorporated many cultural beliefs from neighboring Persia. This had a great influence on the Greek culture in that the people of the country had to find ways of blending the new culture that was borrowed. Before this, Sparta had viewed Persia as an enemy and did not borrow any culture from them. This meant that the fall of Sparta had a significant effect on the overall Greek culture as it was, finally, open to vulnerabilities from outside. The Spartan leaders had established complete control over the city and would not allow such things to happen (Spielvogel 2010). The reluctance to engage in war and the provision for people to pursue their goals was a culture that evolved after the fall of the empire of Sparta. Lack of Cohesion in the Army While the Spartans were known for their strong army and organization in war, the kingdoms after Sparta did not enforce this method and this meant that the kingdom of Greece was vulnerable to outsiders. However, as time went by, the people were influenced by the Spartan way of life and learned the importance of a strong army. The kingdoms, therefore, strengthened the armies to ensure that people of the country and its cities were protected from outside attacks. The development of strong armies had been the culture in Greece for a long time. This culture was influenced by the fall of Sparta when the Greeks learnt that a weakened army was the easiest way to lose their kingdom. Without the fall of Sparta, the rest of Greece cities would have continued life as usual hence increasing their vulnerability. The fall of the giant capital was, therefore, a wake up call for the rest of the country to arise and create a strong union in terms of an army that would defend the kingdom (Waterfield 2006). Weakening of Greek armies Athens and Sparta participated in the war against the Persians and were able to overcome the attacks both times. While this may have been as a form of unity, competition between the two cities continued for a long time. This led to the Peloponnesian war which was fought between the two cities, each backed by its allies. The strength of the Spartan army was legendary and the backup by other cities meant that it was able to win. This left weakened cities that were unable to defend themselves and fighting as a unit for Greece was inconceivable as there were no resources to fight. The fall of Sparta, the strongest of the cities meant that Greece as a whole was vulnerable to outsider attacks from Persia and other enemies. The inevitable soon happened and the Greek cities were overcome by their enemies who imposed their rule upon the people of Greece. The fall of Sparta was, therefore, part of the reason why the Greeks were conquered by other armies. When the enemies took over the running of the cities, they imposed upon the people their culture, leading to significant weakening of the Greek culture. Democracy The Spartan system of government was based on a mixture of ruling systems from democracy to an oligarchy. This system did not, however, allow the opinion of people to be discussed by the people chosen to discuss public matters. When Sparta finally bowed down, democracy had a real chance for development and people were given rights to vote (Wilson 2006). These rights were limited to men only and thus denied women the right to run the country. The end of the Spartan era signified a new dawn for the people of Greece as it gave them a new way of governance previously inexperienced in the country. This system also promoted individuality since people could practice what they wanted other than being soldiers. One of the main effects of the Spartan civilization was the advancement of divisions in society based on class. The Spartans, and indeed the whole of Greece, practiced class divisions in which people of lower stature were considered slaves and the leadership of the cities was controlled by few rich people. The fall of Sparta, which was a major enforcer of such rules, led to new rulers in later Greece who introduced democracy as a way of ruling. The Spartans would never have allowed such a system as they were even known to take slaves with them to war. This was because they feared that the slaves would rebel while they were away on war (Wilson 2006). Their system emphasized that the place of slaves was to serve their masters and the slaves were not allowed to have any rights such as voting or owning property. Democracy introduced a completely different approach to the treatment of slaves. This meant that the influence of the Spartans on the Greek culture was eroded by the invasion of other armies. Change in social life Sparta was strict on the code of conduct of its people. All the people, especially boys who lived in the kingdom, had to undergo military training. Women were also not excluded from this activity. This meant that social relationships between people living in the city were non-existent, as men who served in the military were required to serve the Spartan army until the age of 60. In most cases, men were also not allowed to leave the barracks. This meant that even those who had wives were restricted. Although this served the Spartan city well, it dealt a severe blow to the social life in the empire. The fall of Sparta brought with it a new dawn to the people of Greece as a whole, as people were able to interact freely without any restrictions. The culture of strict code of conducts was therefore abolished by virtue of the fall of the city. People would interact freely, a trend that has continued to date as people in Greece are considered social. The division of people into classes such as citizens and non-citizens also served to severe the relationships between people (Eschenburg 1836). The Spartan constitution was designed in such away that it would be able to regulate most aspects of the human life (Dynneson 2008). Democracy in Sparta was therefore governed according to this constitution. This meant that interpersonal relationships were also regulated. The constitution emphasized on love for the state and in the process, limited interactions in the family. This reduced the cohesive bond between people due to its divisive nature. The fall of the kingdom revealed the kind of life people in the city lived and this brought about a change in the way people conducted themselves. This change in culture led to a more democratic atmosphere for the people in order to spur collaborations and other aspects that were relevant for the success of Greece. Boys in the Spartan territory were expected to serve in the army from the age of 7 years which means they would be separated from their families for long periods of time. When the city fell, its impact on people’s relationships was profound, with people enjoying more family time and thus uniting the country. This culture of unity lives to date in Greece. Sparta was at loggerheads with other cities for most of the time. The city engaged in war and other activities that earned it a lot of enemies. This means that its interests divided the state of Greece, forcing Athens to form an alliance with some other cities while Sparta forged an alliance and controlled the Peloponnesian area (Wilson 2006). The effect of this breakup was weakened armies that rendered the cities vulnerable and promoted divisions among the residents of the different cities. When this era came to an end, the people were once again united and this promoted peace in the cities. Under a unified leadership, people would live in harmony and pledge allegiance to a single ruler. This culture of unity was, therefore, a consequence of the fall of the Spartan city which had dominated the area for a long period. Decreased collaboration The Spartan regime emphasized team work and a persistent attitude among its people. This enabled the city, coupled with the discipline of the army, to conquer many of its enemies. However, the fall of the great city brought with it fewer and less coordinated collaborations between the cities that were left. Communities living in the area of Greece used to collaborate well to deter enemies. The fall of the city, therefore, ushered in a new era of individuality in the other cities. This weakened the cities greatly and led to the capture of the other cities. The non-collaboration culture was, therefore, enhanced by the fall of Sparta. Promoted Individuality The Spartan city was renowned for its emphasis on community effort (Rhodes 2006). This is shown by the strong army that was characteristic of the city. However, in their quest to be the strongest army, the city neglected individual capabilities and relied on force to achieve its goals. The kind of governance in the city promoted a class system, and more importantly, teamwork. Individuals with unique talents were not recognized in the city, since the only efforts that were recognized were those that were considered beneficial to the city. The city had long conquered its neighbors but continued to feud with Athens. When the town finally fell, after years of success, the people were free to exercise their freewill and the growth of democracy would be realized from there. Leaders coming after the fall of the kingdom had to give the people a choice to practice what suited them best. The growth of this culture of arts and education could, therefore, be attributed to the fall of the kingdom of Sparta. A difference in perspective, however, may reveal a different effect to the culture of Greece. The democracy that was afforded to the people of Greece may have been detrimental. The Spartans emphasized that all people, especially men, had to participate in the army. This is what made the army of Sparta famous and strong. The fall of the city, therefore, meant that this culture was lost on the Greek people as they embraced democracy. The consequences of this action are the weakening of the resolve and loss of control by the ruling class as people were free to choose what pleased them. The lack of interest in political leadership in the Greeks can be attributed to the fall of the Spartans, who had emphasized the need for controlling people in order to be successful (Lendering 2006). The fall of the Spartan empire after the intercity wars was expensive in many ways. The economic life of the people in these cities was at its worst with most of them suffering from the effects of the war. The economic hardship brought about many changes in the lives of the people in the country. The rich were continuously involved in fights with the middle class. This class warfare, plus the war between the cities only served to signify the changes that were taking place in the country. During the strong rule of the Spartans, they fought hard to suppress middle class people. Order was thus maintained through the sustenance of economic development. As people wanted to fight for themselves, individualism grew and people left the desire to grow the nation to the few politicians and leaders who were left. Individualism, a culture that developed in Greece, was therefore initiated by the fall of the Spartan era. Individualism grew due to the lack of interest in the politics and public life. Loss of Women Rights In Greece, just like in most other societies, the cities did not give women power over most aspects of their life. The oppression of women was prevalent in most cities in Greece. This was, however, not the case in Sparta despite its tough measures on men. Women in this city enjoyed relatively more freedom than their counterparts in other cities. The fall of Sparta influenced the treatment of women in general in the country. While they were able to participate in few services in the country, they generally became oppressed by the regimes in the country. The rise of Sparta reflected a win for women and its fall was equally important as this marked the end of freedom for women, especially those accustomed to life in the Spartan area (Fleck & Hanssen 2009). The management of Sparta required that people in the city have people who could mange the property and since men were involved mostly with the military, their management of the farms and other property was left to women. It is reported that women in the Spartan region owned almost half of the property which they had control over and would use in any way they pleased. This treatment of women by the Spartans seemed not to augur well with the rest of the population and the fall of the Spartans presented a good chance to reverse this trend. Due to the military nature of the Spartan territory, women were given more freedom to engage in economic activities as well as learn how to read and write. These privileges were not available to other women in the country as they were subject to control by the cities and by the men. During the reign of the Spartans, this trend continued and women in this area thrived in many areas of life. The fall of Sparta brought an end to this favoritism to women. All women in the country were treated equally and this meant that they became second class citizens in that they were denied most of the rights available to men. The perspective of men towards women in Greece was that they did not have to own property and they did not allow them to attend school as this would lead to lack of control. The Greek culture towards women was therefore altered during the fall of the Spartan empire. Conclusion Sparta was one of the strongest cities in ancient Greece in terms of defense. Its army was renowned for its lack of fear and sheer discipline which enabled it to conquer many of its adversaries. The rise of the city was spurred by discipline in its army which enabled the rulers to establish dominance over its people as well as to devour its enemies. The Spartans expanded their city and established a system of ruling through a constitution which favored the development of patriotism to state. Although Sparta citizens were a mere 10 % of the population, they were able to control the rest of the population effectively. Its rise and fall brought with it several impacts on the culture of the Greek people such as democracy and loss of rights for women. However, discipline was also instilled in the Greek culture. In summary, Sparta had a major influence on many aspects of the Greek way of life, and is still considered one of the most disciplined societies of the time, a factor that is exemplified by its success on many fronts. References Cartledge, P 2002, To Die For, History Today , pp. 20-25. CEE 2010, Sparta, Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia , p. 1. 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