FREE ESSAY ON LYCURGUS' CONSTITUTION

LYCURGUS' CONSTITUTION

Philosophy is a study that tries to define and explain how people in a community should
live wisely. In his "Life of Lycurgus", Plutarch wrote "...Lycurgus produced an
inimitable constitution,... showing... the spectacle of an entire city acting like
philosophers..." (Readings, p.185). Unlike other philosophers, Lycurgus' ideas were
practical; his laws didn't just describe the proper way of living, but also put it to
work. Using his constitution, Spartans became harmonious, developed feelings of honor,
self-reliance, and self-control which the leader believed were the keys to living wisely.
In addition such destructive force as individualism was replaced by a desire to serve the
community.
Lycurgus' first reform was an economic one. He started by redistributing the land. Since
there was an immense gap between the poor and the wealthy people, he created equal
incomes for all Spartans. Then, he devaluated gold and silver, making only iron currency
legal. This action rid Sparta of sophists, charlatans, prostitutes, gold and silver
smiths. It also stopped trade and all negative influences of outsiders. To take away
unnecessary desire for riches and luxury, Lycurgus introduced common dinning tables which
provided just enough food for men not to be hungry. He believed eating in luxurious
settings and stuffing oneself with excess of food softened and weakened him. Lycurgus
thought that dining at home contributed to greed and took away from living wisely. Also
he believed using services of others (servants) at dinner caused feelings of inequality
and concentration on material good rather than nonmaterial one which Lycurgus advertised.
Luxury became extinct and for the most part so did pride, envy and crime. The "Lycurgan"
system made it so that the Spartans would only attempt to compete in courage and virtue
instead of competing for material goods like more land and wealth. 
Next, Lycurgus regulated marriages and childbirth. Lycurgus "thought that the principles
of most importance for the prosperity and honor of the state would remain most securely
fixed if implanted in the citizens by habit and training, as they would the be followed
from choice rather than necessity" (Readings, p.180). From birth, laws and regulations
were imputed into the minds of Spartans. In adulthood, when they thought they acted upon
their will, they actually did what was in the best interest of their city because they
did not know any other alternatives. Lycurgus strengthened the women by making them
exercise so that their offspring would grow up strong and healthy. For the children to be
born with the best genes, he allowed sexual activities among married women and men other
than their husbands with the husbands' consent. If offspring were born defective or ill,
they were exposed of at Mountain Taygetus to make sure that Spartans form a superior
race. The great ruler made girls and boys walk naked in the presence of the opposite sex,
which produced modesty and taught them appreciation for healthy, strong, and beautiful
bodies in addition to teaching importance of courage. 
Lycurgus went further to improve the state education. From the age of seven, boys were
placed in groups where they lived, ate, played and learned how to fight. The youngsters
were taught how to read, write and speak to the point. The behavior of each group was
observed and judged. To captains of the groups, others "looked...for orders, obeyed his
commands, and endured his punishments, so that even in childhood they learned to obey"
(Readings, p.182). One of the things the future warriors were taught was how to steal
successfully which would increase their skill in being cunning and sneaky. The young men
were fed very little and if one attempted to steal something to eat, yet was
unsuccessful, he was beaten up and starved even