Spartan Warriors - Essay Example

Spartan warriors' military fitness, as mentioned began specifically at birth. One of the immediate tests was when the mother of the child literally bathed in wine. This test already claimed its effectiveness in selecting who were the children fitted to be warriors through their survival (Schrader 2007). The test though didn't end there. Upon the survival of the child from the test, the decision about the child's future will be subject under the elders' judgment, if the child was to be reared as warrior or not.

A child who survived but had founded with defective or weak was also considered useless. This child will be subject under the abandonment in the wild slopes of Mount Taygetos or Apothethae. The place was already known as a place of rejection (Schrader 2007). This practice was believed by the Spartans as way to preserve and maintain the high physical standard in their race. Spartan warriors were expected in absoluteness regarding physical strength and capability (Stark 1997). Another Spartan custom to eliminate the weak in their race was the throwing into a pit of the defective child.

A cloak and nothing else would be the only clothing that provided for boys 12 years of age and below, was also a test for their physical health that was essential for fitness. Another test for their living condition was through hunger. . Growing up in Spartan society was tougher for the Spartan boys than the girls. Officials assembled the young boys for primary fighting orientation. Spartan boys were expected to be grouped by age. They would then fight with each other, and the toughest boy would be the leader.

(Connoly 1979) Another test for their living condition was through hunger. Spartan boys were being purposely underfed. This condition was to test them their hunting skills, up to the extent of motivating them to steal purposely the food in the supplies. Along with the test of hunger, they were also commanded to sleep in the bare ground. In fact, during the earliest days of Sparta, a citizen's life was completely and strictly submitted under the Spartan state. One of the moral trainings of Spartan warriors was the obedience to their laws (Connoly 1979).

At this early stage, Spartan boys were already being exposed in the ruthlessness of killing. This was to set them prepared for the future military life that awaits them. They were being taught handling of arms and armor. They were also encouraged to develop their own guile and savage skill necessary for fighting. They were even enforced to experience actual murdering and slaughtering once they were being sent to hunt for declining slaves. Strict discipline in fighting was also enforced to them.

(Paparykarious 2000) During boyhood, the young citizen was required to leave home for military boarding school. It was in their law that young Spartan was required to serve in the army, from age seven up to thirty years of age (Connoly 1979). In the army, their education put emphasis on physical toughness, faithful in military ranks, and absolute obedience to orders. They are identified as hoplite or a