Looking at the Spartan system, and why and how it came to an end, brings many questions to mind.

In the time of Aegis, gold and silver first flowed into Sparta, and with them all those mischiefs which attend the immoderate desire of riches. Lysander promoted this disorder; for by bringing in rich spoils from the wars, although himself incorrupt, he yet by this means filled his country with avarice and luxury, and subverted the laws and ordinances of Lycurgus... (79.)

When gold re-entered Sparta, vices sprang up, one at a time until the whole system fell. If the Spartans did actually maintain pure virtue during the five hundred years of Lycurgus' strict system, then it seems as if somehow gold and silver were the temptations that tainted these "perfect" souls in Sparta. Plutarch specifically says that the desire for gold and silver caused the fall of Lycurgus' system.

Why did Spartans give value to gold and silver at all? Where did this desire for gold and silver come from? The idea of money had long faded from the Spartan mind-set. Does gold somehow have the ability to make men desire it, so that any man, seeing a piece of gold will want it, even if he had never seen it before. Does the luster of silver make men lust after it? Maybe this desire for wealth comes naturally from within man. If so, the Spartans suppressed selfish greed within them for five hundred years, while there was nothing monetary to desire, until the return of gold and silver to Sparta uncovered the vice.
Honor was an important part of the Spartan life, first the honor of the State, then honor of each Spartan. The self-less desire for the honor of State completely overshadowed the selfish desire for honor in one Spartan. When the three hundred best Spartans were picked, and he did not make the list, a man said he was glad that there were three-hundred men in Sparta better than he.

In other societies at the time of Lycurgus, wealth was a side effect of great honor. Although wealthy men tended to pass their money to their sons, Lycurgus noticed that not all sons of honorable men were as honorable as their fathers. People could also use dishonorable means to gain wealth. Wealth then became not a side effect of honor, but a separate attribute altogether. There were wealthy men who were honorable and wealthy men who were not honorable.

Wealth can be a lever to increase the power of an individual. When the individual is honorable, this is a good thing, but if they are base, it can have far-reaching effects in the state. Removing the side effects of honor did not change the nature of honor, so Lycurgus simply removed the whole idea of "wealthy-ness". Then the threat of wealth falling into the wrong hands was removed.

Did Lycurgus get rid of vice in Sparta? Even if vice is an active condition; does the simple act of not coveting your neighbor's belongings mean you are virtuous in that manner? What about the murdering of children who were considered physically weak? What about adultery? Just because they did not call it adultery does not mean that they are not adulterous. The children were taught that stealing is virtuous. This built up their character in some areas, teaching them to be self-sufficient et cetera, but could not have been good for their souls.

Could it be that Lycurgus decided on a certain number of vices that he thought were acceptable? Did he just create a false virtue? Maybe he simply imposed his inflexible ordinances, which allowed the admissible vices, and outlawed the "bad" vices. Or maybe the vices he allowed were necessary to abolish the vices that Lycurgus did not approve of.

What would be the consequences of this? Is a man required by his nature to participate in a certain amount of vice? What is the state of the souls of the unfortunate Spartans who were not allowed to decide for themselves if Lycurgus picked the vices that were truly all right?

Lycurgus' system of nomos in Sparta may have removed the opportunity for some vices to surface in the citizens of the state, but there were other far-reaching consequences. He did not remove all vices, and even encouraged some. No Spartan was allowed to lead a contemplative life. Therefore the state was not able to survive intact when unforeseen circumstances sprang up. Was Lycurgus not capable enough to create a perfect state, or was his aim akin to finding the fountain of youth?