Academic literature on the topic 'Xenophon. Polis. Sparta and Representation'

<p><strong>Resumo: </strong>Ao relacionarmos o <em>discurso</em> de um autor da Antiguidade com o contexto histórico-social em que o mesmo se encontrava seremos capazes de interagir com parte das possíveis motivações e interesses que o mesmo deteve ao desenvolver as suas considerações escritas. Desta maneira, ao efetuarmos um estudo de caso na obra intitulada “<em>Constituição dos Lacedemônios</em>”, do ateniense Xenofonte podemos observar que as <em>representações</em> que o <em>discurso</em> deste pensador elaborou sobre a sociedade de Esparta estavam vinculadas ao lugar que este sujeito ocupava, frente à <em>pólis</em> de Atenas. Sendo assim, mediante o arcabouço teórico adotado, objetivamos por demonstrar como o <em>imaginário social</em> partilhado por Xenofonte fora um mecanismo determinante para o modo como este autor <em>representou</em> os espartanos em seu <em>discurso</em>.</p><p><strong>Palavras-chave: </strong>Antiguidade – Xenofonte – Imaginário Social.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Abstract: When we relate the discourse of an author of Antiquity with his own historical and social context, we will be able to analyze some of the possible motivations and interests that he held to develop his writtings. Thus, when we perform a case study on Xenophon’s work entitled ‘<em>Constitution</em> of the <em>Lacedaemonians’</em> we can notice that the discursive representations elaborated on Sparta society were linked with the place the author occupied in the polis of Athens. Through the theoretical framework adopted, we aim to demonstrate how the social imaginary shared by Xenophon was crucial to the way that the author represented the Spartan society in his discourse.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>Antiquity – Xenophon – Social Imaginary.</p>

In the given article, the author offers an interpretation of the work titled Lacedaimonion Politeia, written by the ancient political philosopher Xenophon of Athens. Judging from Xenophon’s sober and open-minded attitude to the regime he researches, the author focuses on the central issue of the treatise, namely, the upbringing of a virtuous or good citizen. This became the cornerstone of Sparta’s success as a polis, and provided it with a fame as a unique political entity praised by all, but copied by none. The author identifies the three stages of the Spartan education given by Xenophon and continues with the practices of its implementation at a mature age. The research makes it clear that the purpose of the laws of Lycurgus, as described by Xenophon, is twofold. On the one hand, the given laws instill respect, obedience, and the virtue of manliness which the lawgiver desired in citizens. On the other hand, the laws create citizens who merely imitate the above-described traits of character and law-abidance, and who are actually more like unmitigated criminals constantly fighting with each other. It is the second type of people—good criminals—who find themselves in power in Sparta, and they are the ones who end up destroying the Spartan state. By providing this diagnosis of the Spartan regime and the laws of Lycurgus, Xenophon attempts to show that handling the problem of the education of good citizens as suggested in Sparta is misguided and requires additional deliberation.