The krypteia of Sparta

In this blog, we look at the equipment of the Spartan Kryptai Theron in the fifth century BC.

The Kryptai were members of the Krypteia , an organization whose precise structure and purpose was unclear. This is no wonder, as the name Kryptai comes from the Greek word κρυπτός, 'secret'. From the few sources in which they are mentioned, it is clear that they were a type of very lightly armed commandos who carried out assassinations and other secret tasks, a counterpart to the heavily armed Spartan hoplites of the battlefield. The Krypteia was also an extension of the agoge, the rigorous educational system of Sparta. After young men had completed the agoge at the age of 21, the best among them became part of the Spartan warrior class who fought as hoplites. The Krypteia can be seen as a Spartan variant of Proto-Indo-European war bands known as the koryos. 

One of the goals of the Krypteia was the suppression of the Helots, the massive underclass of slaves in Spartan society. They provided for the necessities of Sparta, allowing the Spartiates (the class of Spartan citizens) to fully engage in the art of war. Unlike other forms of slavery, Helots were not owned by individual citizens but were collectively owned by the Spartan state.

This division of Spartan society originated in the eighth to seventh century BC as a result of the Messenian wars, a large-scale conflict between two peoples in the Peloponnese, the Messenians and the Spartans (Laconians). The war was started by the Spartans due to overpopulation in Laconia and ended in a Spartan conquest of the Messenian part of the Peloponnese. This homeland of the Messenians was largely depopulated and the large population was completely enslaved to work the Spartan estates.

In later centuries, the Spartans themselves believed that the origin of the division of Spartan society was much older. According to them, the Helots were descendants of the Achaeans, the original inhabitants of the Peloponnese who were enslaved by the Dorians, the ancestors of the Spartans, after the fall of the Mycenaean civilization in bronze Age. This 'Dorian invasion' of the Peloponnese was said to have been led by the descendants of Hercules, the 'return of the Heraclidae'. This story was integral to Spartan identity in the classical period.

Although this was claimed by the Spartans themselves and Greek historians like Herodotus and the aforementioned Thucydides, there is no archaeological evidence of a violent Dorian invasion; therefore, this theory is nowadays considered mostly mythical by archaeologists. However, there was a spread of the Doric dialect in the Peloponnese during this period, which was later spoken by the Spartans, a process that took place over a broader time span and was not specifically linked to one 'Dorian' population. 

The oppression of the Helot population was an age-old and active process. The Helots were seen by the Spartans as inferior and weak, but were also feared because they could pose a threat due to their overwhelming majority. For this reason, the Krypteia were deployed to prevent possible uprisings.

After the annual election of the Spartan magistrates (ephors), the new leaders of Lacedaemon declared war on the Helots. The Krypteia were sent out to assassinate village leaders, popular figures, and the strongest Helots. They did this by, according to Greek writers, 'prowling like predators' unseen across the land and surviving on what they could steal from the Helots. According to the philosopher Plato, the Krypteia wore no shoes, slept outside in winter, and were completely self-reliant; a Krypteia who needed help was not worthy of his name. Plato indicated they were active both during the day and 's night, but Plutarch contradicted this, claiming that the Krypteia mainly operated 's night, suggesting they remained unseen, but could also mean that the Helots had to adhere to a curfew. But why were those poor Helots treated this way?

In the Indo-European culture, both the divine and human worlds were characterized by a hierarchical division. The society was likely composed of three classes: the working class (herders and craftsmen), the warrior class, and the ruling or priestly class. Within this latter class, there was no distinction between priests, aristocrats, and kings; they shared a collective role in maintaining order and governing the community.

This division originates from the Proto-Indo-European cosmic creation story. According to this myth, two of the three classes emerged from separate parts of the body of Yemo, the cosmic twin. The royal class was formed from both body parts, enabling them to understand and connect all layers of society. The other twin brother, Manu, became the first priest and taught humanity to offer sacrifices to the sky god to maintain the cosmic order.

Both the Spartans and the Helots were likely descendants of the Dorian peoples and differed little in ethnicity or culture. The complex relationship between the two groups is believed to have arisen from a collectively traumatic conflict in the past.

The Spartans, numerically outnumbered by the hostile Helots, felt threatened. To ensure their survival, they focused extremely on the warrior class and transformed their society into a military state. At the same time, the Helots as a whole were imposed the role of an unfree working class.

Where in other Indo-European peoples the warrior class consisted of free citizens who could also be farmers or craftsmen, the Spartans developed from this a permanent professional army, fully dedicated to warfare.

Greek tunics were made from linen, sometimes also from wool. The tunic worn by Theron has short sleeves, but in the warmer months, Greeks often wore light, warm garments that left their arms and shoulders uncovered. Classical Greeks did not wear trousers under their tunic, as they considered them barbaric.

To shape the tunic, both simple leather belts and fabric belts were used.

The chlamys was a woolen cloak worn in classical Greece. It kept clothing clean and offered the wearer protection against weather and wind. The cloak that Sophron wears is not only meant to keep him warm, but also helps him to disguise or hide himself in the dark.

The cloak was fastened with a fibula, a metal garment pin that was often decorated.

Kryptai were the only weapon to have a dagger, which they used to carry out assassinations but also as a tool to survive in the wild.