Spartan Women, The Ideal Spouses
Over the weekend, I listened to a BBC Radio 4 program about the women of Sparta. It was so good I had to hear it twice. It described why Spartan women were my type of Gals. If you want to listen to it, follow the link below.
NATALIE HAYNES STANDS UP FOR THE CLASSICS – SPARTAN WOMEN
Unlike many women, in ancient history, they were not expected to be pretty wall flowers, or an extension of their men. But were raised from a young age to be strong and independent leaders. To start with, they exercised and trained to be physically fit and strong. A bit like…
And would take part in many sports, both individual…
and team sports, the same as the boys.
Greek athletes always trained and competed nude, by the way. 🙂 A female Spartan participated in sports including wrestling, long- and short-distance running, horseback riding, hurling the javelin or discus, boxing, and racing.
From the age of 7 they also received a good, academic education
They were also trained in martial arts and combat, from a young age. As their men would spend a lot of time away fighting, they would be the home defence team for their house, town or city and be expected to hold their own in a combat situation.
Spartan women did not normally marry until they were between 18 and 20. Relatively mature, by the standards of that period of history. However, between menstruation and marriage, girls were encouraged to be sexually active, with other girls of their own age.
There were choir clubs, songs and other activities to encourage this. So they came to the marriage bed with a good idea of how they needed to be satisfied.
At home, the Spartan wife would have been in charge of everything, domestic organization, finances, running the family business and everything else of great importance. The Spartan economy revolved around the leadership of its women.
And they did not, as most spouses in the ancient world, spend all their time looking toward the cooking and cleaning. They got their slaves to do that for them.
So in conclusion, Spartan wives were strong, well-educated, powerful women, used to being in a leadership role and they could make that weirdo, hanging around in the park, fear for his life 🙂
This would be so much better than having the Patriarchy. If only history had continued in this vain.
I SO WANT A SPARTAN WIFE
🙂
Prefectdt