The Constitution of the Spartans

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Sources:
"The Constitution of the Spartans," by Xenophon: amzn.to/2j7JXTB
"The Moralia ," by Plutarch: amzn.to/2gNMYHU
"Parallel Lives: The Life of Lycurgus," by Plutarch: amzn.to/2xS29nI
"Politics," by Aristotle: amzn.to/2wMq5ss
"Rhetoric," by Aristotle: amzn.to/2xS3niO
"Laws," by Plato: amzn.to/2wLpsiN
"On the Republic," by Cicero: amzn.to/2j7Flgg
"The Histories," by Herodotus: amzn.to/2xdH4a7
"The Spartan Regime," by Paul A. Rahe: amzn.to/2vPmRqS
"Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta," by Stephen Hodkinson: amzn.to/2xdV7MS
"The Rise of Athens," by Anthony Everitt: amzn.to/2j69uMS
"Persian Fire," by Tom Holland: amzn.to/2vPyCxE
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Music:
"Air Hockey Saloon," by Chris Zabriskie
"Candlepower," by Chris Zabriskie
"CGI Snake," by Chris Zabriskie
"Heliograph," by Chris Zabriskie
"Hallon," by Christian Bjoerklund

[@MulToyVerse]

It's a coincidence that both Sparta and Rome were founded, in myth, by twins and both had a strong military.

[@MrVlogman101]

You know, i thought the roman political system was pretty odd and arcane. But the Spartans have a dual monarchy that has absolute power, except when it doesn't, a elected Senate that is chosen partially randomly that can pass whatever the hell they want with a public assembly and punish kings , except when an all male aristocracy decided no , a female aristocracy that is overwhelmingly rich but can't vote, and a population so terrified of its own slaves that it ritually committed atrocities against them. Compared to that Roman politics look simple and elegant.

[@rkitchen1967]

The number of Spartiates (citizens) fell over time because it was possible to lose that status if one couldn't meet one's obligations, such as providing food for one's mess. On the other hand, it was not possible to become a Spartiate if you were not born to that status. Economic decline cost many their citizenship.

[@nonyabeeznuss304]

There was a festival in Sparta where the male helots were forced to get puking drunk then dance and sing a song functionally boiled down as "I'm a useless idiot" while all the spartan citizens laughed at them.

[@maximaldinotrap]

Wait a minute, 300 body guards per king?

[@roguevector1268]

5:35

[@thegradualreport]

Can't show a pig being slaughtered, can show a poor defenceless box being tortured to death.... War, War never changes.

[@scottjuhnke6825]

Spartans also suffered from a complete lack of upward mobility. A Spartiate could lose his status by not being able to meet his mess obligations. Once lost, the status they had was gone forever. This certainly was a contributing factor in the decline of Sparta.

[@samdoesvids1339]

So...Ancient Sparta was a Constitutional Theocratic Direct Diarchy...I always just assumed Sparta was an Absolute Monarchy.

[@gamergril5940]

Once an Ephor served his term he was barred from...Ephor serving again?

[@Strideo1]

The constitution of the Spartans must have been pretty good. It does take a lot of endurance to hold those shields and spears.

[@CP4884]

The way you tell a story with naught but squares, optical illusions (possibly unintended, yet surely not unnoticed), and chat bubbles is incredibly captivating. Thank's for making these videos.

[@fakename3344]

20:18

[@jamescarrico1233]

I think Cicero praised the Spartans for good reason.

[@shkeni]

This is a good video, but is missing a super important point at the end: The cause for the decline of Spartan power was its defeat by Epaminondas of Thebes and his freeing of Messenia (the land of the Helots). He also founded Messene in Messenia and Megalopolis in Arcadia for the Helots, which became a powerful check to Sparta. Spartan power never recovered from this death blow to its slave economy and continued to wither away into the nothingness you describe.

[@polandballhistorian8537]

Man Aristotle hated everyone...

[@thomasvrielink299]

20:53

[@michaeljones1491]

Oh shit it's ya boi big red Roman rectangle coming in

[@skipperwarp9]

“ wealthy Spartan wives used to dominate their husbands” god I wish that were me

[@SameBasicRiff]

This "Chronological Order" playlist you have, Historia, is one I come back too all the time. Such good info!! At first I was like "tiny squares and nothing else? bland! boring... lame, uh, wait, so then... and they did what? Awesome!" Haha this is great! Good stuff! Love the squares and how clear it all is!