u/AdventurousWar5711

Xenophon writes that boys were given just enough food in order to prepare them for a life of working on an empty stomach.

But then boys were allowed to steal if they felt like their hunger was unbearable, in order to “make the boys more resourceful in getting supplies, and [become] better fighting men.” 

Yet if they were caught, boys would receive beatings. One might wonder — why? 

Well, Xenophon tells us “Because in all cases men punish a learner for not carrying out properly whatever he is taught to do. So the Spartans chastise those who get caught for stealing badly.”

If you want to learn more about the agoge, feel free to give this podcast a listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agoge-kings-senate-ephors-ep-3/id1453478609?i=1000766950612

The Perioikoi or dwellers around, were rural folk who resided in the hills and closer to the coasts of Laconia. 

As they were more rural, they were often in contact with Sparta’s slave class — the Helots. 

According to Paul Cartledge, because of their proximity, the Perioikoi served as Sparta’s “first line of defence”, against Helot revolts. 

Rights wise, they were only given local political rights in their villages and had no say in the more urban regular Spartan institutions such as the Senate or Assembly. 

As regular Spartans were forbidden from commerce, this social class dedicated themselves to trading from Laconia’s major port in Gytheum, craftsmanry to supply the heavily armoured hoplites, and potentially mining. 

Additionally, the class also served as a separate reserve in the Spartan army. 

I cover Spartan history in my podcast, History of Sparta — if anyone wants to go deeper into those interesting people: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-of-sparta/id1453478609