Source edition
Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work comprehensively depicts the unique social institutions, educational systems, and daily customs of the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta. In the first section, the strict rules of the communal mess halls, anecdotes surrounding the famous "black broth," the rigorous physical training and education of the youth, and the benefits of dietary restrictions are detailed. The middle section introduces the importance of music and song, the rigid adherence to ancient laws, strict regulations on burials and foreign travel, and social customs such as communal sharing among neighbors. The final section explains the thorough maintenance of discipline, including the ban on theatrical plays and the creation of leisure for citizens through the labor of the Helots. Ultimately, the work outlines Sparta's decline due to the influx of wealth and the decay of its laws, leading to its eventual transition under Roman rule.