Leisure in Sparta? (1 Viewer)

[jagesy]

Hi, Ive been doing my notes for sparta, and i cant really find much about their leisure activities. I thought it wouldnt matter and that the syllabus heading was just there for...well, just there...anyway, then i found a past paper with a question about leisure!! if anyone is able to tell about spartan leisure, or where i could find some good information thatd be really cool! thanks guys, good luck with the study -jagesy

 

[Wylde]

off the top of my head... something like bibasi (chicks did this), some ritual event uhh, gymnopaedia I think which was a festival of dancing, games and stuff. Boys had to snatch cheese from the altar of Artemis Orthia or get whipped badly. Regular exercise, hunting, oh yeah and chariot racing.

No idea on anymore, hope others can add to this too.

 

[ay_caramba]

there's some plutarch quote on it in his life of lycurgus..
i remember doin an assignment which included leisure..from what i can rmember: hunting, gymnastics, singing, dancing, chariot-racing, feasting (?)
ya.

 

[Comrade nathan]

Stay on the Fesitivals i guess. Also could you talk about the public mess as a form of leisure.

 

[The Bograt]

Leisure activities included hunting and feasting. This is a good response to a 2 mark question asking this.
There is evidence on ceramic pots depicting hunting, they would also lend their hunting dogs to people without them (Xenophon I think)

 

[green_appletini]

yeh i asked about that in class today, don't say artemis orthia (my teacher said, cos it's not a leisure activity..and it sort of isn't..i mean whipping/cheese stealing?...hahaha). But yeh, stick to the religious festivals~ Then hunting's a good one~

-marilia- xoxo

 

[jagesy]

thanks guys! i wasnt sure if the festivals and stuff counted, but its good to know they do. hope youre doing well in exams, one down already!!
yep. thanks!!
-d

 

[glitterfairy]

The bibasti? Bibasi was a form of exercise... not sure it really counts as leisure :S

Stick to feasting and hunting. I am.

 

[The Bograt]

Yep same

 

[MissSavage29]

ummm i vagly remember something that the spartan boys had to learn to sing... they had choral groups... mmm that stuck in my head cause i thought it was unusual...

i thought most of their lesuire time was taken up by training

 

[vicksta]

What i have in my notes on this is:

- hunting, which encouraged comradeship, and was a lighter side of Spartan life
- excercising to stay fit and healthy
- banqueting and drinking
- chariot racing and horse riding

 

[vicksta]

Oh, i forgot, the bibasi were these excercises that they did, where they jumped and tried to touch their heels to their bums...charming, i know...and they did it naked!!

 

[Rachel1989]

Also, they were into horse and dog training so the animals were prepared for battle and hunting