4.170 Sparta Government Lesson for Kids: History & Facts

Sparta was not a democracy, but there are some similarities between the Spartan government and modern democracies. In this lesson, we will learn about the government of Sparta, how it was divided and who was in charge of governing the city.

The Spartan Constitution

Spartan Warrior
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Sparta was not a democracy. Like in its famous army, decisions were made by a small group of people and the rest had to obey. But there are some elements of the Spartan government that are very similar to modern democracies like the United States. For example, Sparta had something very similar to our Constitution.

The Great Rhetra, meaning the Great Saying or Great Proclamation, was a group of laws that organized the Spartan society, very similar to what the U.S. Constitution does. It described how Sparta would be governed and who had the power in the Spartan society. But unlike modern constitutions, it was not written. Spartans did not write much. They passed on their laws and traditions orally from father to son (women were not considered citizens and could not participate in government).

The Great Rhetra organized the Spartan government in four parts: The Ephors Council, the Diarchy, the Gerousia and the Apella.

Lycurgus: creator of the Great Rhetra
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1. Main points:

The Spartan Constitution was not a written document but a set of orally transmitted laws known as the Great Rhetra, which organized both the government and society of Sparta.

2. Questions:

– Content Analysis: What was the Great Rhetra and how did it organize Spartan society?
– Contextual Analysis: How did the Spartan Constitution differ from modern constitutions like that of the United States?
– Linguistic Analysis: Why do you think the phrase “orally from father to son” is emphasized?

3. Further Discussion:

Do you think it’s a good idea to pass laws orally from one generation to the next? Why or why not?

4. Answers:

– The Great Rhetra was “a group of laws that organized the Spartan society, very similar to what the U.S. Constitution does.”
– Unlike modern constitutions like that of the United States, the Spartan Constitution “was not written.”
– The phrase “orally from father to son” is emphasized to show that “Spartans did not write much” and passed their laws and traditions orally.

The Ephors Council

The Ephors Council was formed by five men elected every year among all citizens (men whose father and mother were Spartans). They were the most powerful of the four parts of the Spartan Government. They governed the city and declared war, they could reject laws passed by the other parts, and most importantly supervised the kings. But wait a minute, did I say kings? Plural?

Diarchy

Yes, Sparta had two Kings! Sparta had two important families, and to avoid conflicts between these families Spartans decided to have two kings at the same time. Diarchy means the rule of two, but Spartan kings were more like generals and military commanders (remember, the city was governed by the Ephors). The Kings also shared religious duties like sacrifices and war rituals.

The Gerousia

Geron in Ancient Greek means ‘old man, elderly.’ So the Gerousia was the Spartan Council of Elders. Its members were 28 men over the age of 60 years plus the two kings, a total of 30 members. The Gerousia was a mix of Congress and Supreme Court; they were responsible for proposing laws, judging serious crimes and banishing individuals.

The Apella

The Apella was the last of the four parts of the Spartan government. All men above 30 years old could participate. It was responsible for electing the Ephors and the members of the Gerousia. Also, it could vote on the decisions of the Gerousia if needed. But unlike a modern parliament, decisions were not discussed, they were only voted on. Also, elections were decided based on who could shout louder instead of using a ballot.

Greek letter Lambda: Symbol of the city of Sparta
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1. Main points:

The Spartan government was organized into four main parts: the Ephors Council, which was the most powerful; the Diarchy, featuring two kings; the Gerousia, or Council of Elders; and the Apella, where men over 30 could vote on officials.

2. Questions:

– Content Analysis: What were the roles and responsibilities of the Ephors Council?
– Socio-cultural Analysis: How did the idea of having two kings in a Diarchy affect Spartan society?
– Linguistic Analysis: Why do you think the Apella’s elections were based on who could “shout louder”?

3. Further Discussion:

Would you want to live in a society where elections are decided by who can shout the loudest? Why or why not?

4. Answers:

– The Ephors Council “governed the city and declared war, they could reject laws passed by the other parts, and most importantly supervised the kings.”
– Having two kings in a Diarchy meant that “to avoid conflicts between these families Spartans decided to have two kings at the same time.”
– The Apella’s elections were unique because “decisions were not discussed, they were only voted on,” and “elections were decided based on who could shout louder instead of using a ballot.”

Lesson Summary

We learned in this lesson that Sparta had something very similar to a Constitution: the Great Rhetra. It was passed on orally instead of written down, and divided the government into four parts: the powerful ruling Ephors Council, the two Kings (Sparta was a diarchy), the Gerousia Council of Elders, and the Apella, which elected the Ephors and members of the Gerousia. Finally, it’s important to remember that to be considered a citizen in Sparta you had to be a man, the son of a Spartan father and a Spartan mother, and more than 30 years old.