This is Sparta: Fierce warriors of the ancient world - Craig Zimmer

Esto es Esparta: Guerreros temibles del mundo antiguo - Craig Zimmer

Traductor: Sebastian Betti Revisor: Denise RQ

In ancient Greece, violent internal conflict between bordering neighbors

En la antigua Grecia, los conflictos armados internos entre vecinos fronterizos

and war with foreign invaders was a way of life,

y la guerra contra invasores extranjeros era un modo de vida,

and Greeks were considered premier warriors.

y los griegos eran considerados líderes.

Most Greek city-states surrounded themselves with massive defensive walls

La mayoría de las ciudades-estado griegas estaban rodeadas

por enormes muros defensivos para una mayor protección.

for added protection.

Sparta in its prime was a different story,

El auge de Esparta cuenta una historia diferente,

finding walls unnecessary

libre de muros,

when it had an army of the most feared warriors in the ancient world.

pues tenía el ejército más temido del mundo antiguo.

So what was Sparta doing differently than everyone else

¿Qué hacía a Esparta tan diferente del resto del mundo,

to produce such fierce soldiers?

para preparar soldados tan temibles?

To answer that question, we turn to the written accounts of that time.

Para responder a esa pregunta, contamos con testimonios escritos de la época.

There are no surviving written accounts from Spartans themselves,

No se conservan fuentes escritas por los propios espartanos,

as it was forbidden for Spartans to keep records,

pues estaba prohibido mantenerlos

so we have to rely on those of non-Spartan ancient historians,

y por eso tenemos que confiar en historiadores antiguos no espartanos,

like Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch.

como Heródoto, Tucídides y Plutarco.

These stories may be embellished

Estas historias tal vez están adornadas

and depict Sparta at the apex of its power,

y presentan una Esparta en la cúspide de su poder,

so take them with a grain of salt.

así que tómalas con cautela.

For Spartans, the purpose for their existence was simple:

Para los espartanos, el propósito de su existencia era simple:

to serve Sparta.

servir a Esparta.

On the day of their birth,

Al nacer,

elder Spartan leaders examined every newborn.

los líderes espartanos mayores examinaban a los recién nacidos.

The strong healthy babies were considered capable of fulfilling this purpose,

Se consideraba que los bebés fuertes y sanos podían cumplir este propósito,

and the others may have been left on Mount Taygetus to die.

y a los otros había que dejarlos que mueran en el monte Taigeto.

Every Spartan, boy or girl, was expected to be physically strong,

Se esperaba que cada espartano, niño o niña, fuese fuerte físicamente,

mentally sharp,

tuviese agudeza mental

and emotionally resilient.

y resistencia emocional.

And it was their absolute duty to defend and promote Sparta at all costs.

Y era su deber absoluto defender y promover a Esparta a toda costa.

So in the first years of their lives,

Por eso en los primeros años de vida,

children were raised to understand that their loyalty belonged first to Sparta,

se criaba a los niños para que entendieran que debían fidelidad primero a Esparta

and then to family.

y luego a su familia.

This mindset probably made it easier for the Spartan boys,

Este modo de pensar quizá hacía más fácil que los niños espartanos

who upon turning seven, were sent to the agoge,

fueran enviados al agoge, al cumplir los siete años,

a place with one main purpose:

un lugar que tenía un único propósito:

to turn a boy into a Spartan warrior

convertir un niño en un guerrero espartano

through thirteen years of relentless, harsh, and often brutal training.

durante 13 años de entrenamiento continuo, duro y a menudo cruel.

The Spartans prized physical perfection above all else,

Los espartanos apreciaban la perfección física ante todo,

and so the students spent a great deal of their time learning how to fight.

por eso los estudiantes pasaban mucho tiempo aprendiendo a pelear.

To ensure resilience in battle,

Para garantizar su resistencia en la batalla,

boys were encouraged to fight among themselves,

se animaba a los niños a pelear entre sí,

and bullying, unlike today, was acceptable.

y la intimidación, a diferencia de hoy, era aceptable.

In order to better prepare the boys for the conditions of war,

Para preparar mejor a los niños para las condiciones de guerra,

the boys were poorly fed,

se los alimentaba mal,

sometimes even going days without eating.

a veces pasaban días sin comer.

They also were given little in the way of clothing

También se les daba poca vestimenta

so that they could learn to deal with different temperatures.

para que aprendiesen a lidiar con distintas temperaturas.

Spartan boys were encouraged to steal in order to survive,

Se los animaba a robar para sobrevivir,

but if they were caught,

pero si los atrapaban eran reprendidos,

they would be disciplined,

not because they stole, but because they were caught in the act.

no porque robaran, sino porque los pillaron.

During the annual contest of endurance

Durante el concurso anual de resistencia

in a religious ritual known as the diamastigosis,

en un ritual religioso conocido como la diamastigosis,

teenage boys were whipped in front of an altar

los adolescentes eran azotados frente a un altar

at the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia.

en el santuario de Artemis Orthia.

It was common for boys to die on the altar of the goddess.

Los niños morían con frecuencia en el altar de la diosa.

Fortunately, not everything was as brutal as that.

Afortunadamente, no todo era tan cruel.

Young Spartans were also taught how to read,

También se les enseñaba a leer, a escribir y bailar,

write,

and dance,

which taught them graceful control of their movements

a controlar con gallardía sus movimientos

and helped them in combat.

y eso era de ayuda en el combate.

While the responsibilities for the girls of Sparta were different,

Si bien las responsabilidades de las niñas espartanas eran diferentes,

the high standards of excellence

los altos estándares de excelencia

and expectation to serve Sparta with their lives remained the same.

y la expectativa de servir a Esparta con sus vidas eran idénticos.

Spartan girls lived at home with their mothers as they attended school.

Las niñas espartanas vivían en casa con sus madres mientras estudiaban.

Their curriculum included the arts,

Su plan de estudios incluía artes,

music,

música, danza, lectura y escritura.

dance,

reading,

and writing.

And to stay in peak physical condition, they learned a variety of sports,

Y para mantenerse en la mejor forma aprendían varios deportes

such as discus,

como el lanzamiento de disco, de jabalina,

javelin,

and horseback riding.

y montar a caballo.

In Sparta, it was believed that only strong and capable women

En Esparta se creía que solo las mujeres fuertes y capaces

could bear children that would one day become strong and capable warriors.

podían engendrar algún día guerreros fuertes y competentes.

To all Spartans, men and women,

Para los espartanos, hombres y mujeres,

perhaps the most important lesson from Spartan school

quizá la lección más importante de la escuela espartana

was allegiance to Sparta.

era la lealtad a Esparta.

To die for their city-state was seen as the completion of one's duty to Sparta.

En Esparta, morir por su ciudad-estado era considerado la razón de ser.

Upon their death,

A su muerte,

only men who died in battle and women who died in childbirth

solo para los hombres caídos en batalla y las mujeres que morían al dar a luz

were given tombstones.

se les levantaba una lápida mortuoria.

In the eyes of their countrymen, both died so that Sparta could live.

A los ojos de sus compatriotas, ambos murieron para que Esparta pudiese vivir.