Relevant Written Or Archaeological Source On The Spartan Economy

PART A - SOURCE ANALYSIS

Find a relevant written or archaeological source on the Spartan economy and complete the 3 questions.

“For we find that some Spartans have far too much property, others very little indeed; the land has come into the possession of a small number… For their lawgiver… left it open for anyone to transfer land to other ownership by gift or bequest… Moreover, something like two-fifths of all the land is possessed by women… But it is obvious that if many sons are born and the land distributed accordingly, many must inevitably become poorer.”

What is the source?

The source above is an extract from Aristotle’s ‘The Politics’ Book 2, Chapter 9, written in 350 B.C.E.

How useful is the source in understanding the Spartan

This economic focus was intertwined with the Spartan ethos of military excellence and control of the helot population, as well as with the Great Rhetra and its emphasis on social order and stability. Additional sources support the notion that the Spartan economy relied heavily on agriculture and the exploitation of helot labour, underscoring the importance of economic factors in shaping Sparta's social and political landscape. The Spartan economy was closely tied to its military prowess, and it played a significant role in shaping the city-state's social, political, and cultural landscape. The Spartan economy was an essential part of its society, with its success playing a significant role in the city-state's political and military

The introduction of iron bars, or irons spits, is accredited to the Lycurgus, the lawgiver; "he withdrew all gold and silver money from currency, and ordained the use of iron money only" This act was seen as a deliberate attempt to prevent Spartans from purchasing luxuries. Sparta was the singular Greek polis that did not adopt silver currency as they did not have access to silver; it was thus an intelligent economic decision to stay with iron currency. The use of iron bars is supported by Cartledge, who states, "Sparta did not coin silver as early as most other states—in fact not until the early third century. Exchanges did take place in Helots and Perioikoi 149 Lakonia, in which iron spits seem to have been somehow involved." This system of iron bars as currency meant that Sparta needed to import iron to maintain their economy, and trade with other regions was essential. Cartledge notes that Sparta was not self-sufficient and needed to import iron, grain and other goods to sustain itself. This reliance on imports highlights the importance of trade for Sparta's economy. In order to maintain their military and way of life, the Spartans needed to trade with other regions to acquire the necessary resources. The expanse of Sparta's trade is further