300: The Spartan Perception Of The Hero

In this research paper I am going to talk about how the Spartan Military influenced our society. You are sure to expect to learn about how it affected how we live on an everyday basis. Also, on how it affected the way the U.S military runs/works. Sparta's military has caused many influences on our modern-day society. This includes on how our military works and fights to how we live every day. In the next paragraph I am going to give a little back ground on how Sparta's military training went.

Sparta occupies a peculiar position within the national consciousness of the United States. On one hand Americans, as the torchbearers of modern liberalism and democracy, are averse to Sparta as a cultural and political antithesis to their proposed cultural founders, the Athenians. As the trumpeters of free speech and the ability of every person to better themselves, how can it be possible that Americans would harken their cultural antecedents to a society that cast imperfect babies upon the side of mountains?

Spartan boys started their training around 7 years old, then later around 14 they would

Steven Pressfields: Gates of fire is based on a true story of how three hundred courageous warrior Spartans led by their king Leonidas and 700 Thespaian allies held off an army of over one million Persian infantrymen on a narrow pass in Thermopylae Greece in 480 B.C. for seven days. The Spartan Warriors were highly disciplined, physically and mentally tough soldiers that were dedicated to their country and way of life. The three hundred Spartan’s left home one day leaving their families behind, on a suicide mission to buy time for their countrymen to organize forces. Their sacrifice was unparalleled and their dedication and battle skill struck fear in the hearts and minds of their enemy.

From about the time of the Persian invasion until the Battle of Leuctra, Sparta was viewed as the powerhouse of the Greek city-states. There were numerous reasons behind their success, but there are few that stand out as the most prevalent. Spartan boys are born to be warriors, they are sent to the Agoge at the age of seven and forced to abide by the Laws set by Lycurgus the Lawgiver. Spartan men never had to worry about chores or any work that was done in the kleroi, allowing more time and focus to be dedicated towards militaristic training. The Spartan army had the ability to call upon the Perioikoi and Helots if need be as extra warriors, which became a significant advantage at time. These reasons, along with

To fully understand the structure of Sparta's society one must realise each and every role of its social groups that made Sparta once the most powerful civilisation on earth. Even before its rise to power Sparta's geographical location in southeastern Peloponnese was advantageous in sustaining the austere and strict lifestyle of the citizens. Laconia's rich agricultural lands produced various raw materials such as marble and limestone, their renowned honey and red-purple dye extracted from Murex mollusc harvested in great numbers along the Laconian Gulf. According to the ancient geographer Strabo, the mountains were quarried for marble and limestone. It was these impassable mountains that provided Sparta a natural defensive barrier against

Even as a child, the male Spartan was treated very harshly, even to the point where it would be considered abuse in the modern society. Once born, the infant was tested in order to declare a life of war or slavery upon him. But unfortunately, some of them don’t get to live. These, either mentally or physically damaged children, are thrown into a chasm near Mount Taygetus. The strongest infants are given back to their families, but are under the military’s control at age seven. Within years, the Spartan boys would take part in the brutal wars, fighting for the ownership of Sparta, as many other kings seek to take over the land and claim it as their own.

A Spartan soldier was expected to serve Sparta until the age of sixty, but that was easier said than done. Spartan infants were inspected by an elder counsel called the Gerousia, ensuring physical ability and readiness to enter into Spartan societal training. The rigorous training period, called agoge, began at age seven for male children. Trainees were taught combat skills, survival skills, and stealth. Students were often pitted against each other, and failure or weakness were met with severe physical punishment, public shame, and even death. Agoge was not purely training for survival and combat. Spartiates were taught reading, writing, dancing, music, and social skills. All Spatiates, including women, had a strong code of honor, and devotion

Another wrong in 300 is that that the Spartans did not own any slaves while in real Sparta they did. The Spartans and other Greeks were very like the Persians in that when they conquered a foe they made these conquered foes their Slaves. In the movie the whole Spartan economy could not survive because the Spartans had no slaves and the Spartan depended on slaves for everything ranging from agriculture, to masonry, to minimal tasks. One thing they actually got right in 300 is in the role of a Spartan woman in affairs. Distinct difference compared to other city-states the Spartan woman has many more rights, including but not limited to of advising the men, holding the household, and woman are even involved in sporting events. Another thing the creators of 300 got right was the cruel eugenics policy taken place in Sparta. Yes the Spartans would murder unfit or deformed babies. The last thing the movie got right is how the Spartan child is raised and how the child is taken from the mother at an early age of seven to be trained to fight like a Spartan warrior.

The Spartan’s were a highly developed warrior based society. They came into the major military power through their highly developed military strategy. The men were required to be a part of the military if they were future citizens. The Spartans had a highly revered group of men, who decided if a child was weak or strong and if they would live to become a good asset to the country. When they decided if they were bad, they would kill all those insufficient. The strong boys were often bathed in wine and raised by their mothers until the age of seven, when they were placed in the agoge (Andrews, 2013). When they turned seven they were taken away and trained to kill.

The Spartan army was arguably the most notorious military force in Ancient times, this is because of their great success in warfare and their renowned skill in fighting and this reputation has resulted in them being notoriously respected in Ancient times. This has been highlighted in modern-day media with the film: “300” when the movie was released in 2006. The Spartan’s in theory were the world’s first super soldiers, entirely devoted to combat training with a full-time job as a warrior, they were truly a force to be reckoned with. Due to Sparta’s fierce reputation even modern armies including the US still use some of Sparta’s military values. In my project, I will be evaluating as to whether Spartan training was the most significant factor

The Spartans lived a very meager life in comparison to the other Greek cultures. The Spartans were not concerned with luxurious items and trivial possessions. A man’s wealth was in the land he owned. However, the typical Spartan male was dedicated to life of a soldier and therefore could not be bothered with the manual labor of tending to his fields. The land was worked by the Helots, or slaves, the Spartans captured in battle. Helots were required to work in the field and return the productions to the owner of the land. This enabled the Spartan male to remain focused and dedicated to his true profession of a soldier.

The Spartans had one of the most advanced societies to exist during the time. The average Spartan man lived with his wife, their warrior like son, and a daughter training to be a useful woman. The sons would always be warriors and have intense training and the daughters were brought up to be the common woman that would cook

In Zack Snyder’s 300, the battle of Thermopylae, the life of the Spartans and the glory of war comes to life on the big screen for all audiences worldwide. The movie, 300, released in 2006 is based on the graphic novel written by Frank Miller, 300. The movie focuses on the use of the Classical past to portray everything from the upbringing of a Spartan to the bravery of King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans on the battle fields of Thermopylae against the mighty Persians. Unlike most Hollywood movies proliferated based on real events, the movie 300, keeps accurate to the novel and the events that occurred in history. Despite the minor alterations and exaggerations such abandoning body armor and over-glorifying the Spartans, the movie still remains faithful to both the novel and history by using the classical past to explore social norms, accurately depict the way of life, events that occurred such as the battle of Thermopylae and the nature of people during 500 BCE.

In the battle between Hector and Achilles, there was more on the line than winning the war. Until the end of the poem, it can be argued that both Achilles and Hector fit the role of an epic hero, but there can only be one. The battle represented who would ultimately be determined the epic hero. In Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, Achilles is crafted into an epic hero throughout the poem by the illustration of the qualities of an epic hero: a great warrior, help from the supernatural, an epic flaw, and an epic journey.