If you are not a history teacher, this is probably the first time you have come across this term.If you are not a history teacher, you do not know what it is? don\’t worry.. Neither I nor many others do. Even historians are unsure about this.
There is only 1 thing for sure. Cryptea was something every young man in Sparta had to experience. I am referring to historical Sparta. Tough guy so many movies are about. And importantly, the young manhad to kill the Spartan slave.
This little thing is thought to have been brought here by Rickurgas, according to Plutarch of Athens, who called it barbaric. Well, he is not surprised.
Unfortunately, I don\’t know why. Some argue that it was a ritual in which young men were accepted among men.Othersthat it was such a kind of police that was supposed to control slaves in this way. A third historianclaims it was some form of guerrilla war. The fact is that this happened only after the slave uprising in 491 BC. The slaves almost defeated the Spartans.
We can add to the fact that there were many slaves. About seven times more. But no one counted, because the slave was not a Spartan man.As Heriot was called a slave of Sparta,certainly did not have a bed of roses. They were humiliated, trampled, used as living targets and even as prey for dogs.
A young man who wanted to be accepted among men came into Heriot and had to kill someone. Scourge, or simply torture to death. And he began to be perceived as a man.
Unfortunately, historians do not even agree on how Cryptea happened, even if it was not the ritual itself. They werethe whole expedition,invaded inside Heriot and some say there was a bloody harvest. Others are in favor of the theory thatthe young man went inconspicuous and secretly aloneand alone. The only thing researchers agree with is that they were not allowed to have servants with them. And they had to find food and accommodation for themselves.
I am more inclined to the version of concealment (Greek Crypt). But I\’m just an amateur, so I let historians do their research and get this straight for once and for all.