Trade in Sparta
Unlike Athens, trading wasn't as vital in Sparta. It was discouraged as a threat to the weakening of the Spartan government. Instead of trading resources with other civilisations, the Spartans relied on conquering and farming to provide them with the resources needed.
Because the Spartan men were warriors and trained fighters, they had slaves do the farming for them. In the beginning, when Sparta was first colonised, the Spartan military and soldiers conquered the region of Messenia and enslaved its native citizens to the farm work. The Spartans called these natives Helots. Other Greeks regarded as Non-citizens were also enslaved and put to work, being in charge of the manufactured goods needed in Sparta.
Not many of the other Greek regions were interested in trading with the Spartans anyway. This is because the Spartan currency did not include coins. To prevent the stealing of money, the Spartans used iron bars as a substitute of the coins. This prevented the thieves from hiding the money in their coats, instead, in order to steal the iron bars they would have had to use a wagon to carry it away.
Unlike Athens, trading wasn't as vital in Sparta. It was discouraged as a threat to the weakening of the Spartan government. Instead of trading resources with other civilisations, the Spartans relied on conquering and farming to provide them with the resources needed.
Because the Spartan men were warriors and trained fighters, they had slaves do the farming for them. In the beginning, when Sparta was first colonised, the Spartan military and soldiers conquered the region of Messenia and enslaved its native citizens to the farm work. The Spartans called these natives Helots. Other Greeks regarded as Non-citizens were also enslaved and put to work, being in charge of the manufactured goods needed in Sparta.
Not many of the other Greek regions were interested in trading with the Spartans anyway. This is because the Spartan currency did not include coins. To prevent the stealing of money, the Spartans used iron bars as a substitute of the coins. This prevented the thieves from hiding the money in their coats, instead, in order to steal the iron bars they would have had to use a wagon to carry it away.