CONTENTS. & Subordination of the kings, and supremacy of the ephors, during the historical times. Position and privileges of the kings. Power of the ephors. Public assembly. The Senate. Spartan constitution a close oligarchy. Long duration of the constitution without formal chango one cause o"f the respect in Greece and pride in the Spartans themselves. Dorians divided into three tribes, Hylleis, Pamphyli, and Dymanes. Local distinctions known among the Spartans. Population of Laco- n i ft i. Spartans. 2. Perioeki. Special meaning of the word Perioeki in Laconia. Statement of Isokrates as to the origin of the Periceki. Statement of Ephorus different from Isokrates, yet not wholly irrecon- cilable. Spartans and Perioeki no distinction of race known between them in historical times. 3. Helots essentially villagers. They were serfs adscript! glebce their condition and treatment. Bravery and energy of the Helots fear and cruelty of the Spartans. Evidence of the character of the Spartan government. The Krypteia. Manumitted Helots. Economical and social regulations ascribed to Lykurgus. Partition of lands. Syssitia, or public mess. Public training or disci- pline. Manners and training of the Spartan women opinion of Aris- totle. Statement of Xenophon and Plutarch. Number of rich women in the time of Aristotle they had probably procured exemption from the general training. Earnest and lofty patriotism of the Spartan women. Lyknrgus is the trainer of a military brotherhood, more than the framer of a political constitution. His end exclusively warlike his means ex- clusively severe. Statements of Plutarch about Lykurgus much ro- mance in them. New partition of lands no such measure ascribed to Lykurgus by earlier authors down to Aristotle. The idea of Lykurgns as an equal partitioner of lands belongs to the century of Agis and Kleo- menes. Circumstances of Sparta down to the reign of Agis. Dimin- ished number of citizens and degradation of Sparta in the reign of Agis. His ardent wish to restore the dignity of the state. Historic fancy of Lykurgns as an equal partitioner of lands grew out of this feeling. Par- tition proposed by Agis. Opinion that Lykurgus proposed some agra- rian interference, but not an entire repartition, gratuitous and improbable. The statement of Plutarch is best explained by supposing it a fiction of the time of Agis. Acknowledged difficulty of understanding by what means the fixed number and integrity of the lots was maintained. Plu- tarch's story about the ephor Epitadeus. Landed property was always unequally divided at Sparta. Nor were there any laws which tended to equalize it. Opinions of Aristotle. Erroneous suppositions with regard to the Spartan law and practice of succession. Lykurgean system originally applied only to Sparta introduced equal severity of discipline, not equality of property. Original Dorian allotment of land in Sparta unknown probably not equal. Gradual conquest of Laconia, the result of the new force imparted by the Lykurgean discipline. Conquest of Arayklse, Pharis, and Geronthrse, by king Te'.eklus. Helus conquered by Alkamenes. Progressive increase of Sparta 337-421 CHAPTER VII. FIRST AND SECOND MESSENIAN AVARS. Authorities for the history of the Messenian wars. Chiefly belong to the time after the foundation of Messen6 by Epameinondas. Absence of real or ancient traditions concerning these wars : contradictions ab(t the Me*