The history of ancient Greece was written mostly from the perspective of Athens, the democratic institutions of which have been almost mythologically, and perhaps erroneously, enshrined in western democratic political theory.
Within that context, Sparta, Athens' arch rival among Greek city states is often seen as a dark militarist state practising extreme, almost inhuman policies to maintain the military discipline that made her army feared throughout the ancient world.
One of the myths surrounding the Spartan state was that of the killing of infants deemed weak or deformed. According to the legend, only found in Plutarch, the first century Greek historian, Spartans were supposed to have submitted their newborn infants to members of the Gerousia for physical inspection. If found to be too small, too sickly, or even malformed, the Spartan elders would then throw the infant into the apothetae (Gr., ἀποθέται, "Deposits"), which was located at the base of Mt Taygetos. The site is often associated with the chasm of Kaiadas.
However, archeological evidence shows no such incidents. We know from historical accounts that King Aristomenes of Messene was killed there along with 50 messenian prisoners after the end of the Second Messenian war.
Kaiadas is located near the modern day village of Trypi, about 10 kilometers from Sparta. The pit containing human remains was known to locals, but only in 1983 did a systematic archeological survey actually take place. Earlier, historians in 1908 hearing of the pit with the remains concluded erroneously that it must have been the site Plutarch was referring to. In 1956 some bones were carbon dated, and a skull was found with an arrowhead embedded in it. Most of the bones found were indeed human. Bones were also found on ledges and walls, above the current floor of the pit. The vast majority of bones belonged to males and there were few that belonged to women, but none that belonged to children.
The legend is seen as myth through various historical facts like that the famed Spartan poet Tyrtaios was blind, and that Spartan king Agisilaos was born with a club foot. The site seems to have been used for executing notorious criminals, or persons condemned of treason, as it was a most dishonorable death carrying with it eternal damnation as the remains were not laid to rest according to funerary rites and the souls were thus condemned to eternal unrest.
Οι πιο πρόσφατες Ειδήσεις
Διαβάστε πρώτοι τις Ειδήσεις για ό,τι συμβαίνει τώρα στην Ελλάδα και τον Κόσμο στο thetoc.gr
