<P> One of the most persistent myths about Sparta that has no basis in fact is the notion that Spartan mothers were without feelings toward their off - spring and helped enforce a militaristic lifestyle on their sons and husbands . The myth can be traced back to Plutarch, who includes no less than 17 "sayings" of "Spartan women," all of which paraphrase or elaborate on the theme that Spartan mothers rejected their own offspring if they showed any kind of cowardice . In some of these sayings, mothers revile their sons in insulting language merely for surviving a battle . These sayings purporting to be from Spartan women were far more likely to be of Athenian origin and designed to portray Spartan women as unnatural and so undeserving of pity . </P> <P> Sparta's agriculture consisted mainly of barley, wine, cheese, grain, and figs . These items were grown locally on each Spartan citizens kleros and were tended to by helots . Spartan citizens were required to donate a certain amount of what they yielded from their kleros to their syssitia, or mess . These donations to the syssitia were a requirement for every Spartan citizen . All the donated food was then redistributed to feed the Spartan population of that syssitia . The helots who tended to the lands were fed using a portion of what they harvested . </P> <P> Plutarch reports the peculiar customs associated with the Spartan wedding night: </P> <P> The custom was to capture women for marriage (...) The so - called' bridesmaid' took charge of the captured girl . She first shaved her head to the scalp, then dressed her in a man's cloak and sandals, and laid her down alone on a mattress in the dark . The bridegroom--who was not drunk and thus not impotent, but was sober as always--first had dinner in the messes, then would slip in, undo her belt, lift her and carry her to the bed . </P>

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