Spartan population collapse from 8,000 to 1,000 citizens. Spartan male citizens numbered about 8,000 during the Persian Wars (c. 480 BC) By 371 BC, only 1,000 male Spartan citizens remained The problem was called oliganthropia (population decline)
Ancient Sparta faced a devastating population collapse. From ~8,000 citizens during the Persian Wars (c. 480 BC), only ~1,000 remained by 371 BC. Historians called it oliganthropia.
Key Facts
- Spartan male citizens numbered about 8,000 during the Persian Wars (c. 480 BC)
- By 371 BC, only 1,000 male Spartan citizens remained
- The problem was called oliganthropia (population decline)
- The 464 BC earthquake sparked a helot revolt that took years to suppress
- Economic factors were the main culprit: growth of large estates meant a wealthy minority at the expense of the rest
- Spartan citizens ate in communal dining halls, each contributing produce from their estate
- More Spartans became too poor to feed their messmates and lost citizen status
- The helot system required thousands to accompany every Spartan army, creating constant revolt risk
Related site: Ancient Sparta — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: The Decline and Fall of Sparta by toldinstone