1. Introduction and Overview S PARTAN S OURCES

2.  Aristophanes – Lysistrata 980 – 1321  Diodorus 11.50  Herodotus 1. 65-68, 5. 39 – 51, 6. 56-86d, 7. 202-239  Plutarch, Lycurgus, 6-9, 12-14, 24-26, 28  Thucydides 1. 79-87, 101-103  Tyrtaeus 10-12  Xenophon, Constitution of the Spartans

3. Historiographer, wrote c. 450s-420s BC and was from Asia Minor One of the few Greek authors period who was not Athenian Knew Athens and some of his views were influenced by this Most of his work is based on his own original research He used conversations he had with a variety of people Refers to unnamed informants in a general way e.g. “The Spartans say,“ Presented different points of view without directly quoting any individuals. We have no way of telling how much of this information was authentic. Herodotus generally admired Sparta’s laws and the virtue and courage His account had a lasting influence on perceptions of Sparta. Herodotus also presents the less admirable side of Sparta. He is said to have to have invented history Some later ancient historians like Thucydides and Plutarch criticised him Thucydides chose to begin his history where Herodotus left off Plutarch criticised Herodotus for not being pro-Greek He was not well thought of in Renaissance times By the 19th century his reputation has been rehabilitated Archaeological finds have repeatedly confirmed his version of events The modern view is that Herodotus generally did a remarkable job Some historian believe Herodotus made up much of his story.

4.  Historiography; wrote c.431-400 BC; Athenian.  Thucydides’ main theme is the conflict between Sparta and Athens. As an Athenian, he was aware that readers might question his access to information about Peloponnesian affairs, and he explains his situation:  ‘I lived through the whole war, being of an age to form judgements, and followed it with close attention, so as to acquire accurate information. Moreover, it befell me also to be banished from my own country for twenty years after my command in Amphipolis (424BC), and being conversant with affairs on both sides, especially with those of the Peloponnesians by reason of my banishment, to gain at my leisure a better acquaintance with the course of events.’  The work does indeed seem to draw on information about the goings-on within the Peloponnesian League, although it is difficult to tell how much he really knew about exact details, e.g. for example speeches delivered at league assemblies. Sparta herself remains a somewhat mysterious place. Thucydides does not present the Spartans in a deliberately negative light: both sides receive praise and blame for their actions. However, Thucydides’ general view of Sparta seems to be strongly influenced by an Athenian perspective, not so much as enemy, but rather as a polar opposite, and some of Thucydides’ general statements about Sparta can be read as subtle comments on Athens.

5. Attic Drama – Comedy; plays dated 427-386 BC (Lysistrata 411 BC); Athenian. Aristophanes’ plays were written to entertain an Athenian audience at one particular festival. They deal with the political situation of the day, but, since playwrights were competing for the audience’s favour, they were probably careful not to present political opinions which would annoy a large part of the audience. The Lysistrata is among a number of Aristophanes’ comedies which supported peace with Sparta. However the debate about war and peace is mostly conducted in very general and of course comical terms. Aristophanes offers us a number of comedy Spartans, both male and female: the play is particularly useful to observe Athenian stereotypes of Sparta in this period.

6. Historiography, philosophical writings, biography; wrote c. 380s- 350s Xenophon was a mercenary in Agesilaus II campaign against the Persians in Asia Minor. He was exiled from Athens and he may have spent some time in Sparta. Late ancient biographical sources suggest that Xenophon’s sons participated in the Spartan education system. The Spartans gave Xenophon an estate close to Olympia. Xenophon had reason to be grateful to the Spartans and he had access to first hand information about Sparta. Xenophon’s reputation has never been very good among classical scholars, and his work on Sparta has also found many critics, often on the grounds that it differs from the more detailed account of Plutarch. Since recent scholarship has begun to pay more attention to the issue of primary evidence, Xenophon’s account has been assessed more favourably. Nevertheless, Xenophon’s description remains vague in many respects, a kind of political pamphlet, defending Sparta against its critics. The text probably depicts a somewhat idealised Sparta, and Xenophon’s representation of Lycurgus is very favourable.

7. Biography, philosophical writings; wrote c. AD 80-120; from Chaeronea (Boeotia). Plutarch was a very prolific writer and diligent researcher: his biographical works are based on extensive library research. Therefore, he often preserves information that is otherwise lost. The Life of Lycurgus is a good example of this. Much of his material also dates from after Sparta’s decline in the fourth century, and any information in his text that is not explicitly identified as taken from a genuinely archaic or classical source should be considered as secondary material. The Life of Lycurgus is particularly valuable as a survey of ancient traditions about Lycurgus and Sparta, and it also illustrates attitudes in Plutarch’s own time. As well historical detail his aim is to draw characters which can be instructive as moral examples. Plutarch produced a number of works which deal with Sparta or individual Spartans: Lives of Lysander, Agesilaos, Agis and Cleomenes III; as part of the Moralia: Sayings of Spartans, Sayings of Spartan Women.

8. Diodorus (universal history, C1st BC, from Sicily) depends heavily on earlier sources and preserves some genuine information of the classical period, although it is often difficult to determine exactly where his information comes from. Aristotle (philosophy, C4th BC, from Macedonia, based in Athens) was interested in the different constitutions of Greek states. Aristotle’s Constitution of the Spartans was used extensively by later authors, including Plutarch. He offers valuable criticism of the Spartan system, informed by Sparta’s decline in the fourth century.

9. Complete the following table and then create a timeline to show the period over which these people were writing. TyrtaeusHerodotusThucydidesAristophanesXenophonPlutarch When they were writing The nature of the Source The reliability and usefulness