
The Spartan legend has inspired & captivated subsequent generations with evidence of its legacy found in both the Roman & British Empires. The Spartans are our ancestors every bit as much as the Athenians. But while Athens promoted democracy individualism culture & society their great rivals Sparta embodied militarism totalitarianism segregation & brutal repression. As ruthless as they were self-sacrificing their devastatingly successful war rituals made the Spartans the ultimate fighting force epitomized by Thermopylae. While slave masters to the Helots for over three centuries Spartan women such as Helen of Troy were free to indulge in education dance & sport. Interspersed with the personal biographies of leading figures & based on 30 years research The Spartans tracks the people from 480 to 360 BC charting Spartas progression from the Great Power of the Aegean Greek world to its ultimate demise. Cartledges crystalline prose his vivacious storytelling & his lucid historical insights combine here to provide a first-rate history of the Spartans their significance to ancient Greece & their influence on our culture" Publishing News"