This is Part I of a seven part series (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII) comparing the popular legacy of Sparta (embodied in films like 300) with the historical ancient state. Today, we’re going to…

first of a seven part historical series on the falsity of the myth of Sparta

UPDATE: okay I just finished the whole thing and it's great, except for his need at the end to underscore how bad Sparta is by comparing it to ... North Korea. engaging history but a shitlib nonetheless

  • emizeko [they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    I like this bit from part III, Spartan Women:

    The primary economic occupation of helot women was probably in food preparation and textile production. And if I know my students, I know that the moment I start talking about the economic role of women in ancient households, a very specific half of the class dozes off. Wake Up. There is an awful tendency to see this ‘women’s work’ as somehow lesser or optional. These tasks I just listed are not economically marginal, they are not unimportant. Yes, our ancient sources devalue them, but we should not.