Spartan Economy
In Sparta their economy is relied on farming and on conquering other people. They did not have enough land to feed all their people so they took their neighbors land. In Sparta they used slaves and noncitiznes to produce the needed goods. The Spartans turned their conquered neighbors and made them helots. The helots lived in their own villages, but they had to give much of the food they grew themselves to the citizens of Sparta. The Spartans also made use of perioikoi, noncitiznes. The perioikoi were free men, but not slaves. They might’ve served in the army, but they could not take part in the government. They made necessary items like shoes, red cloaks for the soldiers, iron tools, and pottery. They also did some of the trading. Sparta discouraged trading overall. They believed that contact with other city-states would give them new ideas, and then weaken the Spartan government. It was difficult to trade with Sparta because of their money system. They did not have coins so they used heavy iron bars. A legend says that they used iron bars because it was harder to steal them because they were so heavy. Other city-states were not anxious to receive the iron bars.
In Sparta their economy is relied on farming and on conquering other people. They did not have enough land to feed all their people so they took their neighbors land. In Sparta they used slaves and noncitiznes to produce the needed goods. The Spartans turned their conquered neighbors and made them helots. The helots lived in their own villages, but they had to give much of the food they grew themselves to the citizens of Sparta. The Spartans also made use of perioikoi, noncitiznes. The perioikoi were free men, but not slaves. They might’ve served in the army, but they could not take part in the government. They made necessary items like shoes, red cloaks for the soldiers, iron tools, and pottery. They also did some of the trading. Sparta discouraged trading overall. They believed that contact with other city-states would give them new ideas, and then weaken the Spartan government. It was difficult to trade with Sparta because of their money system. They did not have coins so they used heavy iron bars. A legend says that they used iron bars because it was harder to steal them because they were so heavy. Other city-states were not anxious to receive the iron bars.