Spartan Constitution

Sparta was the first known functioning democracy. This was 150 years before the introduction of democracy in Athens.

They were a thinly populated state but they were greatly celebrated and was one of the most powerful cities.

The Spartan Constitution was written by Xenophon, a foreign dweller into the land of Sparta. Without his work, we wouldn't have any accounts on how the Spartan life became.

The Spartan Constitution was made up of the following:

• The two Kings;
• The 28 Elders in Council, also known as the Gerousia;
• The five Ephors; and
• the Assembly, which consisted of only all male adult Spartan citizens

The two kings' jobs mainly involved religious and military activities.

The Ephors were the overseers of the kings' activities and wrote legislation.

The Assembly would vote on legistations and the Gerousia held veto power.

Sparta, despite their mindset of being "foreign" in their own land, they had a military prowess that were feared by many.

Regardless, they were equals in terms of rights and wealth as all adult male Spartan citizens were given a plot of land and slaves to work on the land for them.

The quality of wealth eroded but due to inheritance laws and the continued existence of private property the wealth had become concentrated in the hands of fewer families, mainly the Spartan Heiresses.