were those spartans depicted in '300' all homosexuals in the real world?

Question

aside from the greek gay jokes.... i have heard that spartans were such passionate fighters because they all grouped together with their lovers and therefore would fight with extreme ferociosity defending each other's backs.

Q2 Ally Network - Handbook
Ideas to explain sex and intimacy between same sex couples have been around ... (There was a theory that warriors would fight more fiercely knowing that ...
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Answer 1

To put it simply, bisexuality, specifically between men and adolescent boys, was common thru out the ancient period and crossed cultural lines. there is recorded evidence that it was practiced by Sparta, Athens, Rome, in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Carthage. it was not meant to improve martial ability, it was just socially acceptable (and no, I don't agree with it).

Answer 2

Well you have to realize that 300 is a fictional movie about a historical event. It is true that there was homosexuality in the time of the spartan society. There was an old saying, 'i do my duty with my wife and have fun with the guys' not saying i aggree with thatg but some spartans were not normal people, not seually and not lifestyle either

Answer 3

Looking back through time to judge people from more and 1500 years ago is impossible. Our ideas and standard are completely different from theirs. Our culture is different and we commonly try to apply our thoughts to an interpatation of theres. Its impossible to know for a fact but I would say it is extermely unlike that the 300 Spartan soliders at the battle of Thermoply were strictly homsexuals. Also to bust your bubble furth they had additional non spartan back up during the fight (check the wikipedia page or any detail recounting for more information).

Answer 4

You need to read Xenophon, who is most famous for his description of Spartan life. There's an unfortunate misconception that somehow all ancient Greeks approved of and practiced homosexuality. In fact, views of homosexuality varied by community. Contrary to what I read in one person's post here, the Spartans were well-known to disapprove of homosexuality. Spartan men who practiced it were subject to mistreatment and humiliation from other men (and from women), and may not be permitted to perform their most important Spartan duty - service in the army. All this, despite the fact that adult Spartan men lived in communes with other men.

It's also important to point out that even those Greek communities that were more accepting of homosexuality nevertheless had a different understanding of the practice than we do today. Athens is often used as a prime example of a city-state that accepted, and even encouraged homosexuality. This is true to the extent that young men were encouraged to form relationships (sexual or otherwise) with teenage boys as a means of teaching "manly" behaviour to the younger generation. (In fact, this was one of the things Spartans hated about Athenians). But this practice was expected to stop once a man married a woman. We have numerous accounts of gay, older Athenian males being absolutely ridiculed by other members of society. And female homosexuality in Athens was completely banned.

I could provide examples from other communities to show different attitudes. Many will have heard of the famous Sappho, the practicing lesbian poet on the island of Lesbos. That community had a different experience than Athens or Sparta. The point is that practices and norms varied by community, and were generally very different from homosexual practices today.

Answer 5

Historically, Spartan soldiers were often partnered with other males who would be their lovers and confidants during their lengthy military tours. They weren't necessarily gay...many Greek men, military and civilian, took male lovers and still married women and had children, and this was an accepted part of society. The Spartans forbade male/female congress among soldiers to prevent familial distractions during military service, but felt that the pair-bonds formed by soldiers promoted unit cohesion and loyalty. They may have been on to something, given how militarily successful Sparta was.

Answer 6

Pederastry, or relations between a man and a younger man or minor, were not uncommon among Spartan soldiers. However, it was thought that such a relationship must end when the younger man grew a beard; thereafter one or both men must find new young partners.

Answer 7

Ancient Greeks and Romans did not have the perverted ideas toward sex that are encouraged by modern Christians. Homosexuality was less discouraged.

Answer 8

It would appear Spartan culture, as well as much of Greece, was overtly bisexual, which begs the question of how much of this is learned behavior. Spartans in general didn't think much of a woman. She was mostly there to produce children and keep house. Men would spend months at a time in campaign in barracks. Alexander the Great was also a homosexual, although that part of Greek culture is not being much examined by Hollywood.

Answer 9

300 Gay Spartans

Answer 10

Of course they were all gays, is believed that Homosexuality is invented by Greeks and it will be written in every foreign country that "bisexuality and homosexuality are made in Greece", as for the ending not all Greeks are gays but all gays are Greeks.