Spartans and Polis

1)What was the acropolis and what stood there?
 The acropolis was at first made up of farming villages, fields, and orchards grouped around a fortified hill. A temple of the local god stood there. 

2) The average city-state, or polis, contained how many people?
In Polis there were 5,00 to 10,000 citizens. 

3) How was Sparta's government formed?
The Spartans had two kings that ruled together, but had little power. There duties were to lead the army and conduct religious ceremonies. Only aristocrats could be Spartan citizens and citizens over twenty were in the Assembly. The Assembly passed laws and decided questions of war and peace.  Each year the Assembly chose five managers known as ephors. Ephors took charge in public affairs and guided the education of young Spartans. Council of elders helped the ephors. The council was made up of men over sixty and they ruled for life. They suggested laws to the Assembly and served as a high court.

4) Who ruled Sparta? 
The aristocrats took over the government and were two kings that had very little power, but the lead the army and conducted religious ceremonies. 

5) Who were the helots and what did they do in Sparta?
The helots were enslaved people owned by the city-states, they worked the land because Spartans had little interest in farming. 

6)  Discuss, or outline, the life of a Spartan boy.

When a baby is born it is checked if it doesn’t have any physical defects. If it does have defects then it is left on the hillside to die or be adopted by complete strangers. If they were healthy they were bathed in wine.
At the age of 7 the boys were taken from their homes and they were to be given to the government to learn how to read, write, and use weapons. They were taught to do battle mostly by teenagers. They had to go barefoot and were given only one cloak to wear. They walked in silence, with their eyes to the ground, and spoke only when necessary. The boys slept outside without cover, and every ten days they were checked if they were not getting fat. Spartan men were expected to merry at 20 years of age but they could not live with their wives until age 30. Then they could retire at age 60 from the army.

7)  Discuss the life of a Sparta woman.  How were Spartan women more free than other Greek women at the time? 
 A Spartan women were able to mix freely with men and do sports. Spartan woman had more freedom than the women of other greek women.

8) Explain the quote, "Come home with your shield or on it".  How does this quote reinforce Spartan ideas?
This meant that the men were to come home with the shield on them or die and be carried on the shield home.