Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

The Myth of Spartan Infanticide
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
okamido View Drop Down
Consul
Consul

suspended, tit for tat

Joined: 15-Apr-2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 302 		  Quote okamido Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The Myth of Spartan Infanticide
    Posted: 24-Oct-2011 at 22:49
As reported by Plutarch, the first century Greek historian, Spartans were supposed to have submitted their newborn infants to members of the Gerousia for physical inspection. If found to be too small, too sickly, or even malformed, the Spartan elders would then throw the infant into the apothetae (pit), which was located at the base of Mt Taygetos.
 
Unfortunately, there is no record of this in anything  but the works of Plutarch, who only had the anectodal works of Sparta's enemies to work with. Recent research however has seemingly debunked this long-standing myth. Studies conducted by the Athen's Faculty of Medicine, in conjuction with Cambridge Universities, Center for Sparta, have located skeletal remains of 46 individuals. None of which however, are those of an infant. In fact, all of the remains that have been found are those of men in their lates teens to mid-thirties. Anthropologists and historians believe that the apothetae was a place of execution for traitors, criminals, and 'tremblers', but not infants.
 
 
 
 


Edited by okamido - 24-Oct-2011 at 22:52
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940 		  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Nov-2011 at 19:02
Have you considered the possibility Spartans threw their children off cliffs rather than into a pit? Alternatively they might have left them on the mountainside where wolves would have dragged away and eaten the bodies
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
medenaywe View Drop Down
AE Moderator
AE Moderator
Avatar
Master of Meanings

Joined: 06-Nov-2010
Location: /
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17084 		  Quote medenaywe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Nov-2011 at 01:20
This is better than Cinderella story!Abandoned children all around the world are part of infanticide also?Young mother left her baby in bag yesterday in front of police station cause she did not want to brake relationship with her boyfriend!Probably this was one of the "somebodies else babies".On other hand in ancient times after parents would be enslaved&killed no one stayed to take care about their offspring.I am really astonished about forensic today that works similar as Roman propaganda 2000 and more years before.Who do need this at all now days?Rome is in biggest debt than ever today.Big smile
Back to Top
okamido View Drop Down
Consul
Consul

suspended, tit for tat

Joined: 15-Apr-2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 302 		  Quote okamido Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Nov-2011 at 19:10
Originally posted by Nick1986

Have you considered the possibility Spartans threw their children off cliffs rather than into a pit? Alternatively they might have left them on the mountainside where wolves would have dragged away and eaten the bodies
The apothetae was the pit/ chasm at the bottom of a cliff on Mt Taygetus...the cliff that is recorded as being the place where this infanticide took place. While adult male skeletons were found there, thus corroborating its status as a place of execution, no evidence was ever found that can verify Plutarch's tale.
 
As to babies being left around the surrounding countryside, as Centrix stated, anything is possible. However, this action of leaving unwanted babies around the countryside has been heavily recorded, especially as an action taken by parents in Athens in regards to female infants. Because of this, I find it interesting to think that this has never been recorded for Sparta.
 
The main issue in regards to our understanding of what may or may not have taken place in Sparta, is that we have to rely, almost exclusively, on sources that were fairly hostile to Sparta.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.113 seconds.