After yesterday's incredible display of endurance and strength I had to see where the Spartans were training their young warriors. Today, I visited the Agoge, Spartan’s military training school. All these boys started when they were a mere 7 years old and have not stopped training since. Disciplines of strength and loyalty to Spartan were taught here in order to create strong warriors. When I was growing up you would see kids laughing and playing simply being children. Spartan did not treat their boy like that, they were not seen as incapable, they were seen as potential warriors and were treated as such. They were not laughing or smiling. These boys were wrestling and practicing to fight with each other using wooden swords and shields. These boys wore long red gowns draped on their bodies, they were already dirty from rolling around the ground. I saw mentors screaming and pushing the boys, punishing if deemed necessary. These boys were being taught to steal food and punished if caught. Despite training constantly these boys looked very thin almost as if they never ate but no one said anything, ever.I kept asking myself why that was, it was to prepare them for scarcity and hard times in battle. If any one of them ever thought about stepping out of line they were being watched by their elders at all times. I had so many questions at this point and it all kept leading me back to why? Why put these kids through so much fighting? To Spartan it was not mere fighting it was loyalty and trust this training was to train them to put Spartan before themselves. I felt so many emotions ranging from sad to amazed.
Come join me tomorrow! I plan to visit a Spartan home in order to learn more about Spartan women and how they influence and run the estate.
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