고전기 스파르타 교육에 접근하는 방법 중 하나로서 인류학적, 종교적 방법은 오랜 전통을 가지고 있다. 20세기 후반 다수의 스파르타 연구자들이 인류학적 방법을 역사 연구에 적용하는 데 대하여 방법론적 문제를 제기하였고, 그 결과 정치적, 역사적 방법이 주를 이루게 되었다. 본 논문에서는 인류학적 접근법의 남겨진 가능성을 검토하고 그것이 역사적인 고전기 스파르타 교육을 이해하는 데 기여할 수 있는 바와 한계점을 동시에 제시한다. 고전기 스파르타 교육은 인류학적 통과의례의 요소들을 다수 보존하고 있다. 본 논문에서 주목한 특징들은 격리, 가혹함, 동성애, 도둑질이다. 스파르타 교육에서 현저하게 드러나는 이러한 특징들은 고전기 스파르타 교육을 시민교육으로서만 아니라, 부족사회에서 연원한 통과의례의 측면에서 조명하는 것을 정당화한다. 그러나 이러한 연구의 선구자인 브렐리히의 견해와는 달리, 본 논문에서는 고전기 스파르타 교육을 완전히 종교적, 인류학적 통과의례로 설명하는 데 반대한다. 역사적 정치공동체인 고전기 스파르타 사회는 기원을 연대기적으로 특정하기 힘든 오랜 전통의 요소들을 교육체계 내에 받아들이기는 했지만, 그것을 고전기 사회의 시민교육 속에 새롭게 자리매김했다. 그렇다고 해서 핀리와 같이 이러한 통과의례적 요소들이 생명력을 완전히 상실했다고 볼 수는 없다. 통과의례의 여러 요소들은 단순한 잔여물로서가 아니었고, 독자적인 형식과 논리를 상당부분 역사적 교육에 반영시켰다. 이러한 점에서 고전기 스파르타 교1육은 전통의 창조적 변형이라 할 수 있다.
As one way of studying Spartan education in the classical period, anthropological and religious approach has a long tradition. In the later part of 20’ century the majority of spartan students questioned the methodological soundness of such approaches, so political and historical methods took the initiative. This paper reconsiders the remnant possibilities of the anthropological method and present its points of contribution and limits for the understanding of classical spartan education. Spartan education in the classical era preserved many factors of anthropological rite de passage. This paper focused on some of these factors: segregation, brutality, pederasty, theft. These are clearly noticeable in spartan education and thus justify illuminating spartan education in the sphere of rite de passage originated in tribal society, not only as a citizen education. Brelich pioneered this road, but this paper raises some objection to explaining spartan education thoroughly as religious and anthropological rituals. Classical spartan society, being a matured political community, accepted the old traditions of which the chronological origin cannot be pinpointed but gave them a new position in the classical citizen education. Still this paper does not agree with Finley, who claimed ‘reinstitutionalization’ of such traditions, and does not see these old element as powerless fossils, but as the product of creative changing power of classical spartan education.
As one way of studying Spartan education in the classical period, anthropological and religious approach has a long tradition. In the later part of 20’ century the majority of spartan students questioned the methodological soundness of such approaches, so political and historical methods took the initiative. This paper reconsiders the remnant possibilities of the anthropological method and present its points of contribution and limits for the understanding of classical spartan education. Spartan education in the classical era preserved many factors of anthropological rite de passage. This paper focused on some of these factors: segregation, brutality, pederasty, theft. These are clearly noticeable in spartan education and thus justify illuminating spartan education in the sphere of rite de passage originated in tribal society, not only as a citizen education. Brelich pioneered this road, but this paper raises some objection to explaining spartan education thoroughly as religious and anthropological rituals. Classical spartan society, being a matured political community, accepted the old traditions of which the chronological origin cannot be pinpointed but gave them a new position in the classical citizen education. Still this paper does not agree with Finley, who claimed ‘reinstitutionalization’ of such traditions, and does not see these old element as powerless fossils, but as the product of creative changing power of classical spartan education.