Women in ancient Sparta their wealth. He attributed the state's precipitous fall during his lifetime, from being the master of Greece to a second-rate power in less than 50 years, to the fact that Sparta had become a gynocracy whose women were intemperate and loved luxury. All Spartan women, not just the richest, would have taken advantage of helot labour to perform the domestic tasks that elsewhere in Greece would have fallen to free women. Activities such as weaving which were considered women's work elsewhere in Greece were not considered fit for free women in Sparta. Therefore, women were more preoccupied with governance, agriculture,
Women in ancient Sparta Furthermore, the greatest importance of marriage within Sparta was the bearing of children. Women had a pivotal role for raising healthy and strong children; as a result they were required to maintain athleticism and good eating habits. However, before marriage existed a trial period to validate the potential couple could have children in the first place. In the event a couple was unsuccessful in creating descendants the options of divorce and remarriage were a customary solution. For Sparta, all activity including marriage was direct with the single purpose of improving their military. The evidence for the role of "kyrioi" (male