Shocking Things About Spartans Who Normalized Gay Custom
Multiple men married to the same woman — Spartan families did not conform to conventionality
Before the Classical World began, a uniquely radical society thrived in Greek, renowned in history for their unconventional beliefs, the Spartans.
The Spartans were strong believers in equality, their men and women both were expected to be commendable persons of society, and were held to iron-clad standards. The Spartans gave the modern world key concepts of self-sacrifice for the greater, common good, and the value of keeping to your duties.
Though no history fanatic can claim to not know about Sparta, there are very few written records and grand architecture that could help one take a deeper look into Spartan life.
Life for Spartan Men
Spartan men were raised to be warrior-citizens. Their life goal was to be of service to their country and their fellow countrymen. At the sensitive age of 7, they had to leave home and join a state-sponsored program that trained them for the military and society.
Their lives were dedicated to the military, and from ages 20 to 60, they served on active duty. They weren’t given the liberty to choose a different career and had to put their state before anything else.
Away from home, they lived under harsh conditions that trained them to be mentally and physically invincible. There were frequent competitions amongst the men, and food was provided to them stingily.
Stealing food was encouraged, but only if they could get away with it. If caught, it was deemed shameful, and they were flogged for the act. This was one of the vital survival skills taught to them besides others.
Men were also encouraged to find partners so they could birth more soldiers for Sparta. The more sons a man had, the more honor he possessed.
Life for Spartan Women
While Spartan women were not expected to join the military, they were trained and educated equally to the men. They enjoyed much independence and power and compared to other Greeks, their society held a relatively feminist ideology.
Athletics such as javelin throwing, wrestling, and dance were taught religiously to them and they were expected to be well-spoken, well-learned, and melodious singers. Events and competitions for these skills were arranged so they could display their skill and attract a potential partner.
Adult Spartan women were property owners, they did not have to do domestic tasks such as cleaning, washing, etc. as the Helots slaves took care of those. The Helots were Greeks from Laconia and Messenia, conquered by the Spartans and kept as slaves for unskilled labor.
Spartan Concept of Marriage
Spartans gave marriage much importance, after all, it was the respectable way to breed more spartan soldiers. As soon as they neared the age of 30, men were pushed into marrying.
If someone showed hesitance, they were mocked and shamed publicly at official gatherings and events. Men who got married before 30 had to live separately from their spouses till they reached the age, as they resided in communal barracks.
Women were encouraged to marry as soon as they turned 20. The more sons a woman could birth, the more status and honor she and her husband shared. As Sparta was a relatively small society, it needed a lot of Spartan sons to defend its mighty borders.
Marriage was service to the state, and if avoided was seen as a lack of loyalty to the motherland, and was deserving of ostracization and ceasing of rights.
If the woman was unable to conceive, the man was encouraged to find another partner and vice versa. This led to men having multiple wives, and women having multiple husbands, all equal in the marriage and sharing the children.
Today these sorts of couples are so-called throuples or polyamorous relationships, so the modern world may have the Spartans to thank for modern concepts of sexuality.
The children were also evaluated at birth for their health and fitness, and if seen unfit, were left outside the city to die. Sometimes these kids would be rescued by the Helots or other Greeks.
The Spartan Wedding
The Spartan wedding was just as unconventional as everything else about it. Once consent from the woman had been taken, the ceremony began. The Spartan women buzzed their hair and dressed in men’s cloaks and sandals, ready for a friendly tussle with their future spouse. The groom had to “capture” her, and once he had, he carried off his bride on his shoulders.
What made Spartans unique?
The Spartans were unusual for their time and had many unique traditions that have somehow filtered down and found their way into modern society. One thing is for sure, Spartans were not ones to conform to the norm, and that is why even today their name stands out amongst Greek civilizations.
Want to follow up more from me and other amazing writers on Medium?
Hop on the chance to join: