Popular perception of ancient Sparta is that it was a belligerent polis with austere men and an army that could never be beaten on land. In this poster, I confirm Xenophon’s theory of decline using primary sources which contain vast evidence of corruption and bribery in Sparta. Although there is evidence of corruption from our earliest sources on Spartan history, it became more widespread and publicized as the fifth century continued. I rely upon the historical accounts of Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon.
This poster starts by introducing the concept of the Spartan mirage and Xenophon’s decline theory. The Spartan mirage describes the idealized version of Spartans, while Xenophon’s decline theory proposes that the mirage was shattered by the beginning of the fourth century. Xenophon’s theory of decline postulates that Sparta declined throughout the fifth century. Some scholars, especially Hodkinson and Cartledge, have discussed financial aspects of this decline, past analyses overlook bribery cases involving the Spartans. I end my introduction with my thesis: the Spartans became more suspectable to bribery and private wealth over the course of the fifth century both on campaign and within the Spartan polis.
In the latter half of my poster, I will prove this by analyzing two case studies from the beginning and end of the fifth century. The first case is that of Kleomenes and Gorgo, which is a prime example of the two sides of Sparta. It contrasts the Spartan mirage, encapsulated by Gorgo’s actions with the reality of Sparta seen by Kleomenes actions. The second case is that of Lysander and Cyrus, which shows the full extent to which Spartan individuals had been corrupted and its effect on Spartan strategy. These cases reveal that there was a deep history of corruption that dispels the Spartan mirage.