Denise Pöhlmann
Numerous myths surround ancient Sparta, which was known and feared above all for its military might. In the writings of the influential philosophers Aristotle and Plutarch, however, the women of Sparta are also accorded a special role. They characterise Spartan women as extremely domineering and unrestrained in their behaviour. Oscillating between criticism and admiration, the women of Sparta are described as exceptionally proud and self-assured, indeed even as being more highly educated. They devoted their lives to the ideology of the polis, owned and managed land, practised sport alongside the men, and even ruled over them and the household. Plutarch speaks of a veritable ’rule by women’. But did the women of Sparta really live such exceptionally independent and free lives? Were they on an equal footing with men, and did they even manage their husbands’ landholdings? Did they practise polyandry? In this book, the veil is now discreetly lifted from the Spartan woman.
