Van Wees, JGB;
(2017)
Luxurity, austerity and equality in Sparta.
In: Powell, A, (ed.)
A Companion to Sparta.
(pp. 202-235).
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: Hoboken, NY, USA.
Text
c08.pdf van Wees.pdf Access restricted to UCL open access staff Download (1MB) |
Abstract
This chapter analyses the ownership and display of wealth in Sparta, reserving the central institution of the public messes for separate discussion. In Aristotle's critical discussion of Sparta, 'inequality of property' was positively singled out as a major flaw in Lykourgos' legislation and a serious problem for Sparta where 'some own far too much property and others extremely little'. The signs of restraint in the display of wealth appeared c.600 BC as part of a reaction across the Greek world to increasing inequality and the development of 'luxurious' lifestyles, but the major movement towards a culture of austerity came at the end of the sixth century. Among social occasions which afforded opportunities for the display of wealth, conspicuous wedding processions and feasts featured prominently in archaic Greek poetry and art. Funerals and graves provided further great opportunities for the display of wealth, and accordingly they were the subject of sumptuary legislation in many Greek city‐states.
Type: | Book chapter |
---|---|
Title: | Luxurity, austerity and equality in Sparta |
ISBN: | 1119072395 |
ISBN-13: | 9781119072393 |
DOI: | 10.1002/9781119072379.ch8 |
Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119072379.ch8 |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
Keywords: | austerity, Greek world, inequality of property, luxurious' lifestyles, Lykourgos' legislation, social occasions, Sparta |
UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of History |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10051782 |
Archive Staff Only
View Item |