Lycurgus By Plutarch Summary

“Most history is guessing, and the rest is prejudice.” ~Will and Ariel Durant, Our Oriental Heritage(1997). (Does this meaning of this book relate to my message?)

In Lycurgus by Plutarch(date), ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch writes about the mythical figure Lycurgus and the governmental policies that Lycurgus implemented in Sparta. Over the years, historians and students alike have used Plutarch’s work and studied the ancient laws of Sparta. In many instances, movies such as 300 dramatize and glorify Spartan life. Accounts of Sparta from Herodotus, Xenophon, and Plato have only helped to embolden the romanticization of the Spartan culture. Regardless of the great works on Sparta written by famous historians and philosophers, we should

call into question the true history of Sparta. We cannot make inferences on laws that cannot be recalled and ones that are not grounded in fact. Students who study Spartan history should very cautiously believe the words of Plutarch and others because of two reasons. First, Spartans did not write down or codify their laws, which make any interpretation of their laws interpretive guesswork, and illegitimate guesswork cannot be the the basis for testimony. Second, Spartans isolated themselves and had miniscule contact with outsiders. No fair or objective outsider could come and observe Sparta’s laws. Therefore, Spartan law could not be properly disseminated to other cultures which means any objective truth about about Sparta will never be known.
Historians struggle to make sense of past cultures as if they were observing past events and people first hand. Historians’ goal is to paint a truthful picture of the past as best as possible using evidence. Over the past 200 years, history has become easier to record with the improvement of technology. At this very moment in the world, we can record the actions of world leaders' such as Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Xi Jinping through video, email, or live streaming. These advanced forms of codification give people the ability to dissect and analyze every word, movement, and message that leaders give. And before this technology, we had voice recordings, radio, and black and white pictures. And before those, we had written documents and detailed first-hand accounts of events that took place. And before these, archaeological findings of the written word such as the Rosetta Stone, helped to communicate culture in the written form. As we go back in time, we see that the improvement of technology gives humans the ability to better interpret historical events. This lack of codification and written evidence is where the first fallacy in Sparta’s history lies.
In Life of Lycurgus it specifically states “Lycurgus would never reduce his laws into writing”(Plutarch pg 13, life of Lycurgus FIX).

This simple fact inhibits the ability for any historian to interpret Spartan history accurately. This problem applies specifically in the case of Plutarch, who wrote the Life of Lycurgus,(life or lycurgus by plutarch), more than 700 years after the Spartans leader’s supposed death. Laws are the subject of debate in the current time of any civilization, and even after the years where a civilization ceases to exist. Without written record, it is hard to even begin to objectively look at a civilization; any finding could be based on non-factual information. It is like building a roof on a house that has no foundation to begin with. The house, or argument, will eventually fall without foundational evidence. We as scholars and historians must have a solid base of facts before we can insert opinions and conclusions in the matter of cheating historical context. The lack of historical written records hurts the credibility of what actually was. If such written laws and documents existed in Sparta, then they would more accurately inform future historians’ opinions. Written evidence would be better suited to stand the test of time and critics. If historians can accurately look at a law or documents with the support of factual claims, then they can examine and understand the significance of the subject they are studying in its complete

context.
An example of the importance of codifying laws is the Declaration of Independence(declaration pg 63 FIX). Take a moment to realize and imagine the true result of the early written law of the United States. It will truly amaze the mind.(Quote and meaning) For example a radical terrorist who commits an atrocity against America due to its values and what the Declaration of Independence stands for.(Quote and meaning) Furthermore, The Declaration of Independence gives a North Korean refugee the rights, freedoms, and liberties that they could've never imagined in their home country.(Quote and meaning) Additionally, the Declaration of Independence prevents dictators the likes of Stalin, Hitler, and Mao from taking over a country and implementing evil and pain. These are just some of the ways that the Declaration of Independence as a written law affects all Americans. This written document has drastically altered the world's path and will forever have an effect on the world due to the minds behind the Declaration of Independence. Historians cannot accurately analyze Sparta laws as they had none. The Spartans lack this written world; while many countries in the United Nations have modeled their written laws after the United States. Written word leaves a legacy, but for Sparta lack of written word or law leaves a lack of legacy on the basis that there laws and aspirations for governing will forever be unclear. (still need to put quotes and show how the declaration affects these people or situations refer to rough draft)
The Declaration of Independence may seem like it is a document full of groundbreaking ideas, but we must not forget that the Declaration was not a totally original idea. Many of the Declaration’s ideas came from previously written documents by prominent thinkers like John Locke. Locke wrote in his Second Treatise (1704) “The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it … that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions” (locke pg 38&39). Thomas Jefferson inserted an almost identical phrase in wording, with the same in meaning, into the very beginning of the Declaration of Independence: “that all men are created equal, … with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (Additionally, in both documents ADD ANOTHER QUOTE). Locke heavily influenced Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father and writer of the Declaration of Independence. Locke inspired Jefferson with a written record on the nature of government and the Second Treatise. Without Locke's written work, Jefferson might not have contributed such respectable ideas in the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson's ideas that come from Locke specifically show the importance of written documents in determining history, and also contributing beneficial ideas and understandings of history. (add more locke and jefferson similarities regarding two documents)
Another contributing factor to the illegitimacy of Sparta history is the lack of contact Sparta had with the world outside of Sparta.

Plutarch states, “And this was the reason why he forbade them to travel abroad... Withal he banished from Lacedaemon all strangers who would not give a very good reason for their coming thither… With strange people, strange words must be admitted… He was as careful to save his city from the infection of foreign bad habits”(CITE). Lycurgus was afraid to have any foreign people not of Sparta descend to his city. He feared other cultures and what idiosyncrasies they would bring with them. This, is in turn, created a strict barrier between Sparta and the outside world. This fact contributes to the lack of observation what historians can only know about Spartan laws, on top of the lack of written laws. If there was no one to observe the culture, how can we as historians accurately report and learn from Spartan society? The fact is, we cannot accurately interpret Spartan law as historical

facts.
(Counterargument need to brainstorm more)
There have certainly been many civilizations that we do not know existed because their written record was lost for different reasons (whether it be war, disease, or extinction). These civilizations are not a tragedy because we can not mourn those civilizations who have no name and have no history. The real tragedy lies with civilizations like Sparta, who did not codify their laws and isolated themselves like a recluse or hermit. We know Sparta existed, but we do not know how they regulated citizens behavior, due to their lack of laws. The Declaration of Independence gives laws but it’s also aspirational. It gives Americans a set of behavioral directions with which to live their lives justly. But we cannot know what Spartan rulers were thinking, nor can we know what citizens aspired to, or how they wanted their people to be governed .This civilizations story is like a book in which all of the pages have been ripped out, and will never be read. And that is the true tragedy of never knowing what actually was.