Unit 1: The Reforms of Lycurgus

Author Bio:
Author - Plutarch: Plutarch was a Greek scholar and writer who lived until 120 CE. He is most famous for writing biographies of several influential Greeks and Romans. Besides his writings he spent his time as a magistrate or priest at Delphi.

Subject - Lycurgus: Lycurgus is a figure with not much known for fact about him, but we can draw predictions based on other parts of Plutarch's biography. Lycurgus was the younger brother of the Spartan king until the brother fell ill and died. Lycurgus was offered the throne and he assumed power until it was discovered the former king had died with a pregnant wife. Lycurgus offered the crown to the baby and served as regent until he feared that conspirators may kill the baby and frame him. Lycurgus then spent the next many years traveling the eastern Mediterranean and sampling the governments there. When he was begged to return to Sparta Lycurgus started a policy of incremental changes to society, and once these were complete, he extracted an oath from every Spartan citizen to follow his laws until his return. Lycurgus then traveled to Delphi to receive messages from the oracle, afterwards starving himself to death so the Spartans would be forced to follow his laws forever.

Date/Context:
This section of a biography was written by a Roman many centuries after the actual man Lycurgus, if he existed, would have died. We see this writing more as an explanation for what Plutarch saw as the root of contemporary Spartan behavior.

Summary:
The biography begins by talking about currency, and how Lycurgus saw to make the wealthy focus on more useful things by making the state currency of Sparta be worthless when traded anywhere else. Further, by making the currency impossible to steal in sufficient quantities for profit, Lycurgus massively dropped the crime rate. Next, the biography tells how the rich were made to the same level as the poor in society by forcing everyone to eat the same thing, at the same time, in the same place, at the same table. The rich were unable to enjoy the fruits of their success, so they did not become fat and bloated leaches on society. Thirdly, the biography talks about the method by which children were raised in Sparta. Children were judged from the moment they were born, by age seven they were taken to a communal barracks where the most obedient were put in charge. By the time the children grew older they were found to be both disciplined and insightful. By being accustomed to long periods of silence, the Spartans gained favor for their short but intelligent remarks.

Key Quotation:
"The third and most masterly stroke of this great lawgiver, by which he struck a yet more effectual blow against luxury and the desire of riches, was the ordinance he made..."