Mothake

Mothake

In ancient Sparta, mothakes (or mothaces) were free-born youths of poor or disfranchised Spartiate families. Though free, they were not Spartan citizens but were brought up alongside Spartan boys as their foster brothers. Due to the expenses of providing extra mess contributions, their rearing was usually sponsored by wealthy families. Some mothakes such as Gylippus and Lysander rose to prominence; the former's father exiled for treason and the latter raised in poverty.

There is some debate concerning the precise status of a mothake. Some feel the term refers rather to helot boys (usually the sons of Spartiate fathers and helot mothers). But it is agreed upon that they shared in the education and training of Spartan boys.

References

*Hodkinson, Stephen. "Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta" (The Classical Press of Wales, 2000) ISBN 0-7156-3040-7


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  • Gylippos — Gylippos, spartan. Feldherr, Sohn des Kleandridas und einer Helotin, also Mothake, wurde 414 v. Chr. dem von den Athenern bedrängten Syrakus zu Hilfe geschickt und gelangte, von Nikias aus Nachlässigkeit nicht gehindert, mit vier Schiffen… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Lysándros — (Lysander), spartan. Feldherr, Sohn des Aristokritos, angeblich eines Herakliden, und einer Helotin (Mothake), erhielt 408 v. Chr. den Oberbefehl über die peloponnesische Flotte in Kleinasien und war seitdem rastlos bemüht, durch energische… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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