| Term | Definition |
|---|
| helot | state-owned serfs |
| polis | an independent Greek city-state |
| Peleponnese | southern peninsula of Greece, connected to mainland by isthmus |
| Lycurgus | Spartan law-giver |
| Great Rhetra | directions on how Sparta was to be organised |
| Delphic Oracle | shrine located at Delphi where ancient Greeks consulted priestesses for advice or prophecies |
| Ephor | cheif magistrate of Sparta |
| Gerousia | council of elders (gerontes) |
| acclimation | Spartan way of voting by clapping or cheering |
| Ekklesia | general assembly |
| homoioi | equals |
| perioeci | dwellers around |
| kleros | allotment of land given to Spartiates and farmed by helots |
| agoge | education, training and discipline system of Spartan boys |
| Spartiate | Spartan citizen |
| syssitia | public messes |
| hypomeiones | Spartans who lost their citizenship by failing agoge or not contributing to syssitia |
| krypteia | secret police made up of youths to keep helot population in check |
| partheniai | illegitimate children of helot mothers and Spartiate fathers |
| neodamodes | helots who were given their freedom |
| mothocles | helots who were 'adopted' as playmates and foster-brothers of Spartan boys |
| tresantes | Spartans who had lost their citizenship due to cowardice in battle |
| pythioi | appointed to ask Delphic Oracle questions and bring answers back to Sparta |
| bibasis | rump jumps, an exercise performed by Spartan women |
| eirens | Spartan youths around 19 who supervised younger boys |
| Paidonomos | guardian who supervised education of young Spartan boys |
| obai | villages |
Combine with other sets
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