Lycurgus By Plutarch Summary

“Most history is guessing, and the rest is prejudice.” ~Will and Ariel Durant, Our Oriental Heritage(1997). (Does this meaning of this book relate to my message?)

In Lycurgus by Plutarch(date), ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch writes about the mythical figure Lycurgus and the governmental policies that Lycurgus implemented in Sparta. Over the years, historians and students alike have used Plutarch’s work and studied the ancient laws of Sparta. In many instances, movies such as 300 dramatize and glorify Spartan life. Accounts of Sparta from Herodotus, Xenophon, and Plato have only helped to embolden the romanticization of the Spartan culture. Regardless of the great works on Sparta written by famous historians and philosophers, we should

This simple fact inhibits the ability for any historian to interpret Spartan history accurately. This problem applies specifically in the case of Plutarch, who wrote the Life of Lycurgus,(life or lycurgus by plutarch), more than 700 years after the Spartans leader’s supposed death. Laws are the subject of debate in the current time of any civilization, and even after the years where a civilization ceases to exist. Without written record, it is hard to even begin to objectively look at a civilization; any finding could be based on non-factual information. It is like building a roof on a house that has no foundation to begin with. The house, or argument, will eventually fall without foundational evidence. We as scholars and historians must have a solid base of facts before we can insert opinions and conclusions in the matter of cheating historical context. The lack of historical written records hurts the credibility of what actually was. If such written laws and documents existed in Sparta, then they would more accurately inform future historians’ opinions. Written evidence would be better suited to stand the test of time and critics. If historians can accurately look at a law or documents with the support of factual claims, then they can examine and understand the significance of the subject they are studying in its complete

Plutarch states, “And this was the reason why he forbade them to travel abroad... Withal he banished from Lacedaemon all strangers who would not give a very good reason for their coming thither… With strange people, strange words must be admitted… He was as careful to save his city from the infection of foreign bad habits”(CITE). Lycurgus was afraid to have any foreign people not of Sparta descend to his city. He feared other cultures and what idiosyncrasies they would bring with them. This, is in turn, created a strict barrier between Sparta and the outside world. This fact contributes to the lack of observation what historians can only know about Spartan laws, on top of the lack of written laws. If there was no one to observe the culture, how can we as historians accurately report and learn from Spartan society? The fact is, we cannot accurately interpret Spartan law as historical