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Are historians such as Plutarch and Aristotle primary or secondary sources for Sparta (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Madusa
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Re: Are historians such as Plutarch and Aristotle primary or secondary sources for Sp
If not then they are definitely secondary (Plutarch most certainly is by the way as he isn't writing until after the Spartan period, and even after the fall of the Roman Republic).
Aristotle - when does your topic of Sparta end (I don't teach anything Greek by the way and my memory of studying it is over 30 years ago) and when was Aristotle alive? If my fading memory is correct they would overlap a little bit however that isn't enough. Did Aristotle go to Sparta, live there, experience their lifestyle or was he really writing a second hand account about other people's experiences within his own lifetime (a bit like an Australian living today describing the US high school experience based on watching TV and reading some books set there? Being alive at the same time doesn't make you a primary source as you also have to experience the event/s to make you a primary source - to write today about US high schools you need to go to a US high school and even then you are only a primary source for that single high school).
Were they living in Sparta, or even alive, at the time that you are studying Sparta?The title of the thread pretty much says it all.
I don't know if thats a stupid question or not?
Thanks in advance
If not then they are definitely secondary (Plutarch most certainly is by the way as he isn't writing until after the Spartan period, and even after the fall of the Roman Republic).
Aristotle - when does your topic of Sparta end (I don't teach anything Greek by the way and my memory of studying it is over 30 years ago) and when was Aristotle alive? If my fading memory is correct they would overlap a little bit however that isn't enough. Did Aristotle go to Sparta, live there, experience their lifestyle or was he really writing a second hand account about other people's experiences within his own lifetime (a bit like an Australian living today describing the US high school experience based on watching TV and reading some books set there? Being alive at the same time doesn't make you a primary source as you also have to experience the event/s to make you a primary source - to write today about US high schools you need to go to a US high school and even then you are only a primary source for that single high school).
Re: Are historians such as Plutarch and Aristotle primary or secondary sources for Sp
The topic of Spartan Society in the NSW HSC syllabus covers roughly the 5th C. BCE (ie, the 400s) and down to Sparta's decline with the Battle of Leuctra vs Thebes in 371BCE.
Plutarch, as commented above, although an ANCIENT source is still a SECONDARY source because he was writing well after the time of classical Sparta and basing his work entirely on other sources (much like we do).
Aristotle can be both primary and secondary depending on when you study; for the HSC topic, Aristotle is largely secondary (only just) as he was writing in the 300sBCE.
Don't let that deter you though. Primary sources on Sparta are scarce, Plutarch and Aristotle did have had access to sources that have not survived for us today.
Don't forget Xenophon... also helpful ... though he was Athenian he lived in Sparta a bit and was fairly favourable towards Sparta (bias)
Also Thucydides comments on Sparta in the context of the Peloponnesian War.
The topic of Spartan Society in the NSW HSC syllabus covers roughly the 5th C. BCE (ie, the 400s) and down to Sparta's decline with the Battle of Leuctra vs Thebes in 371BCE.
Plutarch, as commented above, although an ANCIENT source is still a SECONDARY source because he was writing well after the time of classical Sparta and basing his work entirely on other sources (much like we do).
Aristotle can be both primary and secondary depending on when you study; for the HSC topic, Aristotle is largely secondary (only just) as he was writing in the 300sBCE.
Don't let that deter you though. Primary sources on Sparta are scarce, Plutarch and Aristotle did have had access to sources that have not survived for us today.
Don't forget Xenophon... also helpful ... though he was Athenian he lived in Sparta a bit and was fairly favourable towards Sparta (bias)
Also Thucydides comments on Sparta in the context of the Peloponnesian War.