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a swinging state, Discuss
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Spartan society had very different norms around marriage and sexual relationships compared to other ancient Greek city-states, and even compared to modern Western societies. While traditional "adultery" (illicit extramarital affairs) was said to be unknown in Sparta due to their more flexible views on sexuality, there were practices that involved women having children with men other than their primary husband.
Here's a breakdown:
* Focus on Procreation: The primary purpose of marriage in Sparta was to produce strong, healthy children for the state, specifically future warriors. This overarching goal influenced their marital customs.
* "Wife-Sharing" (Polyandry): Ancient sources like Xenophon, Plutarch, and Polybius indicate that "wife-sharing" or polyandry was practiced and even encouraged by the state. This wasn't about infidelity in the sense of a secret affair, but rather a structured arrangement for producing more or better offspring.
* An older man with a younger wife might allow a younger, more physically fit man to impregnate his wife to ensure "superior" children.
* A man who wanted children but didn't wish to cohabit with a wife could seek to have children with a "distinguished" married woman, with her husband's consent.
* Brothers might share a wife to prevent the fracturing of their inheritance.
* If a king's marriage did not produce a son, he might take a second wife to ensure a male heir.
* State Endorsement: These practices were not only tolerated but often encouraged by the state, as they served the collective goal of producing healthy and numerous Spartan citizens. Paternity was often de-emphasized in favor of the state's interest in robust offspring.
* Absence of Traditional Adultery: Due to these flexible customs and the focus on the state's needs, the concept of "adultery" (as a secretive, illicit act of infidelity) was often said to be non-existent or irrelevant in Sparta.
* Greater Freedom for Spartan Women: Compared to women in other Greek cities, Spartan women had more freedom and independence, including in sexual matters. They were expected to be physically fit, could own land, and managed households while their husbands were often away in the barracks for military training.
In essence, while Spartan wives did not engage in what we would typically call "adultery" in the sense of clandestine, forbidden affairs, they did participate in sanctioned arrangements that involved sexual relationships with men other than their primary husband, all with the explicit purpose of benefiting the state through procreation.
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By *corcherMan 51 weeks ago
Loughborough |
You have to be careful with the source of information on Spartan. A lot was written by other states to discredit Spartan. There's not much written record from within Spartan.
That's not to say it's all untrue & it was a very interesting society |
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