In the study of the dawn of political institutions, Spartan scholars appear privileged beings: they dispose of a precious - even if obscure - ancient document, the great rhetra (Plut. Lyc. 6). The great rhetra is usually considered an archaic law or oracle, or - in a more sophisticated fashion – a legislative text based upon an oracle, or an oracle which confirmed a bill. The great rhetra is an archaic text, but not an authentic archaic law (or oracle). No Spartan assembly shouted loudly its approval of the great rhetra. The great rhetra intends to reproduce a presumptive founding prescription for the establishment of Sparta as an accomplished reality. It is a retrospective reconstruction inserted into an intentional elaboration of the past, largely agreed on by Spartan society. Its purpose was originally to describe the foundation of Sparta by Lycurgus in the time of Eurysthenes and Procles. Aware of the place that memory of the origins has held in the construction of Greek political communities, we can better understand the weight of 'invented tradition' in the most ancient and venerated documents in the history of Sparta, and appreciate their historical value.
The great rhetra (Plut. Lyc. 6): A retrospective and intentional construct?
NAFISSI, Massimo
2010
Abstract
In the study of the dawn of political institutions, Spartan scholars appear privileged beings: they dispose of a precious - even if obscure - ancient document, the great rhetra (Plut. Lyc. 6). The great rhetra is usually considered an archaic law or oracle, or - in a more sophisticated fashion – a legislative text based upon an oracle, or an oracle which confirmed a bill. The great rhetra is an archaic text, but not an authentic archaic law (or oracle). No Spartan assembly shouted loudly its approval of the great rhetra. The great rhetra intends to reproduce a presumptive founding prescription for the establishment of Sparta as an accomplished reality. It is a retrospective reconstruction inserted into an intentional elaboration of the past, largely agreed on by Spartan society. Its purpose was originally to describe the foundation of Sparta by Lycurgus in the time of Eurysthenes and Procles. Aware of the place that memory of the origins has held in the construction of Greek political communities, we can better understand the weight of 'invented tradition' in the most ancient and venerated documents in the history of Sparta, and appreciate their historical value.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
