Lycergus Essay, Research Paper

In ancient Greece, the most feared named was Sparta. It was a total war machine willing to take on all comers. They rose above the rest by being well disciplined and educated. The man who brought them this glory was Lycergus. Like any great leader he was very idealistic. His main goal was to change Sparta into a complete city state. It is believed that he was born between the eighth and tenth century. “Most historians don’t believe he existed at all”. He was from the Eurypontid house which was one of two houses of Royality. “It is thought by many that he may have been King”. Unquestionably he was one of the great thinkers.Among his many accomplishments, Lycergus was responsible for the Spartan Council of Elders, iron coinage, and the education of the entire population. “The Spartans attributed all institutions and their Constitution to Lycergus”. He established their strict military style and beliefs. He felt it was very important to have a complete person. “It would be hard to discover a healthier or more completely developed human being, physically speaking, than a Spartan”. Lycergus felt that parents should have the right to punish other’s children. In this way he thought that children would respect all adults. Overall, he contributed more than anyone else to Spartan culture. That is why he is known as the Father of Spartan Law. Many of the ways that we keep our bodies sound were proposed by Lycergus. Mainly, he felt that people should always do the best thing for their body and their community.