Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta

Download or read book Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta written by Stephen Hodkinson and published by Classical Press of Wales. This book was released on 2000 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The image of Sparta has long been of an egalitarian, military society. Yet property and wealth played a critical role in her history. The success of Sparta's classical society rested upon a compromise between rich and poor citizens. Privilege and display were combined with ingenious techniques of outward uniformity and of sharing between rich and poor. Later, increasing inequality led to plutocracy and the decline of Spartan power. Using a combination of historical, archaeological and sociological methods, Stephen Hodkinson challenges traditional views of Spartan separateness from general Greek culture.