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cover of episode Sex Lives of Spartans
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Helen King
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Kate Lister: 我很好奇斯巴达人的性观念、社会结构和妇女地位,以及这些方面与他们强烈的军事文化之间的关系。我还想知道电影《300勇士》中展现的斯巴达形象是否符合历史事实。 Helen King: 斯巴达是古希腊的一个城邦,与雅典长期对抗,但有时也会联手对抗波斯。由于考古证据有限,我们对斯巴达的了解主要来自其他城邦的记载,这导致了信息偏差。斯巴达的制度起源传说中有一位立法者莱库尔格斯,但其真实性存疑。斯巴达的‘简朴’形象,很大程度上是其他城邦为了凸显自身文明而塑造的对比形象。斯巴达并非完全排斥文化,考古发现中也存在精美的工艺品。雅典人对斯巴达军事实力的评价,既包含偏见,也基于其对斯巴达军事实力的实际观察。斯巴达强大的军事实力,部分源于其从七岁开始的严格军事训练。罗马人同样对斯巴达的军事化社会模式感兴趣,但同时也对其持批判态度。斯巴达的军事化程度,以及相关记载的真实性,难以完全考证。斯巴达在公元前371年莱克特拉战役中失败,标志着其军事霸权的终结,其原因复杂且难以确定。斯巴达的统治阶级‘斯巴达人’人数在公元前5世纪末到公元前4世纪初期间大幅减少,其原因尚不清楚。斯巴达的权力结构复杂,融合了君主制、寡头政治和民主的元素。斯巴达有两个国王,分别来自两个王室家族,这在强调集体主义的斯巴达社会中显得有些矛盾。斯巴达的统治精英‘斯巴达人’通过抽签的方式选择官员,体现了某种程度上的平等。斯巴达的公共食堂制度,体现了斯巴达人之间的平等。斯巴达有两个国王的制度,传说起源于一位古代国王无法决定继承人而将王位分给两个儿子。斯巴达妇女权力较大的说法,可能是雅典人为了贬低斯巴达而编造的。斯巴达社会存在等级制度,除了斯巴达人外,还有希洛人(介于农奴和奴隶之间)以及其他从事经济活动的群体。斯巴达男孩从七岁开始接受军事训练的说法,其细节难以考证,可能并不像传说中那样严格。将体弱婴儿遗弃的说法,在希腊各地都有记载,其真实性难以考证。古代希腊社会存在残疾人,并非所有体弱婴儿都被遗弃。斯巴达的军事化训练,可能并非所有男性都参与,而只是特定阶层。斯巴达训练的残酷性,部分源于各种传说和故事,其真实性难以考证。斯巴达训练中,忍耐痛苦被视为一种美德。斯巴达训练中,杀害奴隶的说法,有一定的证据支持,但其真实性和普遍性难以确定。定期杀害希洛人的说法,从经济角度来看并不合理,因为希洛人承担着重要的劳作。斯巴达的军事训练,持续时间很长,几乎贯穿一生。斯巴达的‘阿戈格’教育制度,旨在弱化家庭,强化国家认同,但其真实情况难以考证。斯巴达男性对同性恋的态度,根据不同的记载说法不一,难以确定。斯巴达存在男性之间性关系的说法,与雅典的男童色情制度类似,但其具体情况难以考证。在雅典,男性之间的性关系被认为是正常的,并非羞耻的事情。在雅典,男性之间的性关系通常在男童成年后结束。雅典对斯巴达男性之间性关系的描述,可能受到雅典自身社会习俗的影响。有学者认为,斯巴达男性之间的性关系,是为了增强年轻男性的体质。古代希腊的医学理论认为,精液是人体最优质的体液,可以增强体质。雅典人认为斯巴达妇女权力过大,是斯巴达社会存在问题的体现。斯巴达的婚姻习俗与雅典不同,新娘需要剃头并扮成男人。雅典的婚姻习俗中,丈夫通常会强行拉着新娘离开。斯巴达男性偷偷与妻子发生性关系的说法,可能与古代希腊的优生学思想有关。斯巴达男性即使结婚,也仍然需要参与军事活动。斯巴达妇女之间是否存在同性恋关系,证据不足。古代世界关于女性同性恋关系的记载很少,多为传闻而非确凿证据。斯巴达存在群体婚姻的说法,其真实性难以考证。斯巴达的婚姻制度,旨在弱化家庭,强调集体主义。斯巴达妇女的形象,在古代世界备受关注,既有赞美也有贬低。斯巴达妇女以简洁精辟的言辞著称。斯巴达妇女的言辞,体现了她们对军事文化的认同和支持。斯巴达妇女被认为精通身体知识,尤其是在堕胎方面。一篇希波克拉底医学文献中,提到一名怀孕的奴隶女演员通过跳跃的方式进行堕胎。“拉克代蒙跳跃”的说法,是后人将希波克拉底医学文献和阿里斯托芬的戏剧联系起来的结果,其真实性存疑。斯巴达妇女对自身身体的了解,以及其在医疗方面的知识,缺乏直接证据支持。斯巴达妇女忍耐痛苦的能力,在各种传说中都有体现。斯巴达妇女死于难产,会被像战士一样埋葬的说法,是希腊普遍的观念,并非斯巴达独有。雅典和斯巴达的对比,并非绝对的,雅典内部也存在对斯巴达制度的认同和向往。斯巴达妇女被认为会进行体育锻炼,甚至可能裸体锻炼。斯巴达妇女裸体锻炼的形象,可能被后世艺术作品夸大。斯巴达妇女进行体育锻炼的目的,是为了增强体质,以便生育更强壮的婴儿。电影《300勇士》对斯巴达的刻画,既有历史依据,也有艺术加工。斯巴达妇女在历史上确实以强悍和独立著称,她们的形象在古代文献中得到了体现。 Helen King: 我的研究主要集中在古希腊的社会文化和妇女地位上。斯巴达是一个非常复杂和有争议的社会,我们对它的了解主要来自其他城邦的记载,这不可避免地带来了偏见。斯巴达的军事化程度和社会结构,以及妇女在其中的角色,都存在许多未解之谜。我们需要批判性地看待古代文献,避免被片面的信息误导。 supporting_evidences Helen King: '...So the Spartans are just one of the Greek city-states...' Helen King: '...The thing about Sparta is we actually haven't got a lot of archaeological evidence for it...' Helen King: '...The heyday seems to be anything from the 7th century BC up to the 5th century...' Helen King: '...So in Athens, the point was that the young boy would eventually grow up...' Helen King: '...It has been argued by modern scholars that what's going on with the Spartan system is some sort of idea that the sperm of the older man is somehow making the younger boy big and strong...' Helen King: '...When the men and the women get together, marriage, this gets a bit tricky...' Helen King: '...There are little suggestions lurking in the sources that women were also...' Helen King: '...So there's this very famous play by Aristophanes, Lysistrata...' Helen King: '...Is it true that Spartan women were buried as warriors if they died during childbirth...'

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the historical accuracy of Sparta's image as a purely military society, examining the limited archaeological evidence and biased accounts from rival city-states like Athens. It questions the extent of military training and the role of various social groups, including Spartiates, Helots, and other residents.
  • Limited archaeological evidence from Sparta compared to other Greek city-states.
  • Athenian accounts are biased, portraying Spartans as solely focused on military strength.
  • The Spartiate population declined significantly by the 4th century BC, contributing to Sparta's decline.

Shownotes Transcript

When you hear the word Sparta, what do you picture?

Well, put aside the images of the rippling six packs for just a moment, as there's a lot more to this workout-obsessed state of the ancient world than you might imagine.

Joining Kate today to get to know the Spartans is the master of all things Ancient Greece, Helen King. You can check out Helen's book, Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies, here).

What were the Spartans views on same-sex relationships? Were they really as ripped as 300 made out? And did Spartan women invent the mini skirt?

This episode was edited by Nick Thomson and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.

All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.

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Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.