Religion in Sparta – packages of information

1. Spartan deities:

·  The Spartans were an extremely religious people. Herodotus tells us that they “considered the things of the gods more weighty than the things of men.” He gives us two famous examples of this. In 490 BC they refused to send troops to fight at Marathon till after their religious festival was over. Again, in 480 they were only willing to send 300 soldiers to Thermopylae because the timing conflicted with the festival of Karneia, in honour of the god Apollo.

·  The main Spartan gods and goddesses were Artemis Orthia, Poseidon and Apollo. All these deities were depicted with weapons in hand, as might be expected in a society as highly militarised as Sparta’s. The Spartans also worshipped Apollo Karneios, Athena Chalkioikos, Helen and Leucippides.

·  Artemis was the fertility goddess. She was also the goddess of childbirth, the wellbeing of women and children, and of hunting. It is believed that her worship was combined with that of the ancient Spartan god Orthia to create Artemis Orthia. She had a significant temple in her honour in the city of Sparta.

·  Poseidon was the god of the sea. He was also the god of earthquakes. The Spartans were very concerned about earthquakes, as these occurred regularly in the Peloponnese. One in the 460s triggered a helot uprising which the Spartans had difficulty suppressing.

·  Apollo was the god of light and the sun. His worship was important all across Greece.

2. Myths and Legends

·  The story of Lycurgus was the most important myth in Sparta. The Spartans themselves believed completely in his existence. Modern historians are not so sure.

·  The Spartans took the story of the Dioscuri very seriously. There were the twin sons of Zeus – Castor and Polydeuces (later called Pollux by the Romans). These mythical figures were associated with horsemanship, athletics and warfare, and were seen as protectors of Sparta.

·  The Spartans also took the pronouncements of the Oracle of Delphi very seriously. They would consult the Oracle regularly on matters pertaining to the state.

3. Festivals:

·  Festivals were integral to Spartan society. Everyone had to participate.

·  The main festival was the Karneia, named after Apollo Karneios, the god of the herd. He is depicted as having horns. This festival was held in August-September. While it was on, the Spartans were not allowed to go to war. We know that the festival involved a procession with model rafts, then a series of athletic contests and games.

·  Another important festival was the Hyakinthia, which mourned the death of Hyakinthus, the son of an ancient Spartan king. He was a favourite of the god Apollo, but Apollo accidently killed him with a discus. To restore him to life, Apollo turned him into a purple flower that returned each spring. The festival celebrated the natural cycle of the seasons and of agriculture. It also celebrated close relationships between men – something of great significance in Sparta.

·  There were processions, dancers, chariot races and feasts. The highlight was a chorus of boys singing songs of praise to the gods.

·  The festival of Artemis Orthia featured the famous cheese stealing ritual at the altar of the goddess. Participants would have to take a beating from their fellow youths before claiming the prize (cheese) at the altar. Before they could claim it, however, they had to bleed on the altar, proving that they had taken a sufficient beating.

·  The Gymnopaedia was a five day festival celebrating the men who died in the Battle of Thyrea – a clash occurring in Sparta’s earlier years. This festival involved dancing, gymnastics and various athletic contests.

4. Religious practices:

·  Spartans could sacrifice and make offerings to the gods at shrines or in their homes.

·  The state was also involved in religious practice. It controlled the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, and regularly sent envoys (pithioi) to Delphi to consult with the priestess of Apollo (the pythia). These envoys were appointed by the king, and shared his tent at Delphi when he visited the sanctuary.

·  Xenophon tells us that the king was required to make sacrifices before leading the army out of Sparta. The army would only leave if the omens were good.

5. Religious sites:

·  Sparta, unlike other Greek cities, had no significant public buildings. Its religious sites were either on the outskirts of the city or beyond its perimeter. These included the Temple of Artemis Orthia, the Temple of Athena of the Bronze House, the Menelaion and the Shrine of Apollo.

·  The archaeological remains of these temples are relatively scant. For all its vaunted power, Sparta left relatively little evidence of its existence.

6. Funerary customs:

·  Spartans were buried very simply, in unmarked graves. The only people who were allowed grave markers were soldiers who died in battle and women who died in childbirth.

·  People were not superstitious about death or burial. No goods were buried with the dead. Soldiers were simply wrapped in their red cloaks.

·  The only funerals that were more lavish were those of the kings. Men and women from every household in Sparta were required to attend and make public demonstrations of their grief. If the king died in battle a statue of him would be erected.

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