12-06-2009, 08:29 PM
Davidson (Courtesans and Fishcakes Davidson) presents some pretty decent evidence for the Hippeis tradition in Crete, where the best, brightest, strongest and handsomest of the "Young Men" were apparently selected to fill the ranks of the "Hippeis" and have a special place in battle--possibly the front rank.
I'm not with my books, but I seem to remember someone (Xenophon?) stating hat Olympic victor were automatically included in this body of men at Sparta--which certainly makes it seem as if it was run on the Cretan model.
But to me--and I'm not a Lakonia-phile--it seems to to me "un-Spartan" for the king to have a "bodyguard" like some tyrant. An elite warband of the best and handsomenest to fight beside him--sure. But a "Royal Bodyguard" somehow sounds at odds with the "idea" of Sparta--Sparta, the home of "anti-tyranny."
I'm not with my books, but I seem to remember someone (Xenophon?) stating hat Olympic victor were automatically included in this body of men at Sparta--which certainly makes it seem as if it was run on the Cretan model.
But to me--and I'm not a Lakonia-phile--it seems to to me "un-Spartan" for the king to have a "bodyguard" like some tyrant. An elite warband of the best and handsomenest to fight beside him--sure. But a "Royal Bodyguard" somehow sounds at odds with the "idea" of Sparta--Sparta, the home of "anti-tyranny."
Qui plus fait, miex vault.
