Spartan History

[SpartanWarriorXI]

Does anyone know a good book or internet page that can trace Spartan history from the Mycenaean Age to the present day. My knowledge of Spartan History is very good up until the Battle of Leuctra where they virtually lost all their power (damn those Macedonians ) but after that it becomes very hazy. Especially during the period in which Rome becomes involved. After the Roman era I am completely lost as too what happens and I would really like to find a good detailed source of that history. I know Sparta is sacked by barbarians and completely razed to the ground but I would still like to find the history even if it is completely unrelated to ancient Sparta. Thank you!!!

[pcaravel]

http://hollow-lakedaimon.blogspot.co...to-sparta.html

Consider this as a brief report of what happened after Leuctra (where Spartans were defeated by the Thebans, not the Makedonians).

I can't think of any book thought...

[SpartanWarriorXI]

AHHH I can't believe I put Macedonians LMAO... and I was just bragging about my Spartan history

I knew that I swear... lol

That was a very interesting article... I want more!!!

[chris1974]

SpartanWarriorXI, Paul Cartledge, who is professor of Greek history at Cambridge University, has a book named simply enough "The Spartans" which was published in 2003. It covers briefly the history of Sparta during the Mycenaean era and mythic (?) Lycurgas through 14 C.E. If you haven't read it already it is very informative.

[SpartanWarriorXI]

Yeah I read it but like you mentioned it was brief and honestly I really didn't like the way it was organized. It seemed to focus more on personalities and people than the time period... but it was still a great book lol, which is why I own a copy

[Pelopidas]

I think this is a great site. http://www.sikyon.com/sparta/history_eg.html
They did lose battles

[SpartanWarriorXI]

Already have it in my favorites lmao... And they didn't lose battles... lol

P.S. Well I like to think they didn't

Sphacteria screwed it all up...

[genko]

I think this is a great site. http://www.sikyon.com/sparta/history_eg.html
They did lose battles

yea i got to the part where the spartans surendered to athens in a brutal fight on some island and thought why did sparta let them return how shamefull that they didnt fight to the death

[SpartanWarriorXI]

Yeah that was the Battle of Sphacteria. Yes I am also disappointed they didn't fight to the death. I believe that was the first battle in which Spartans actually surrendered

[Pelopidas]

They surely lost battles before that.
Actually my favourite is the wars with Tegea.
"Spartans attempted various expeditions against Arcadia and after a long struggle managed to occupy the southern part of her. But they were totally unsuccessful in the wars, with the city of Tegea. They were loosing battle after battle and in the reign of the Spartan kings Leon and Agesikles (580 BC), they carried pompously chains in order to enslave the Tegeans. They met though with disaster, loosing totally the battle and their soldiers were putted in the very chains, they had brought."

And how arrogant, were they carrying chains, lol. They had it coming!
Btw it is a misconception that spartans fought every battle to the death which i think results basically following the logic of every battle was your typical Thermopyles.

[Ashtart]

yea i got to the part where the spartans surendered to athens in a brutal fight on some island and thought why did sparta let them return how shamefull that they didnt fight to the death

In antiquity warrior were also citizen and they need to cultivate their fields. It was the same thing for william wallace, and perhaps for Hanibal. The history is full of un previsible things:hmmm:

[SpartanWarriorXI]

As sad as I am to admit it... Pelopidas is right. Regardless they are the most feared fighting machine in all of history. And many of the Spartans did fight to the death in every battle. Not all the Lacedaemonians died because of the Perioikoi and Helots that did run when the battle turned but most of the Homoioi died to a man.At Sellsia of a 6,000 man Lacedaemonian phalanx only 200 didn't fight to the death... Pretty good if I do say so myself.

As for the Agoge thing I'm not quite sure??? I would say the middle of the 4th century... probably after the disaster of Leuktra

[Racer X]

SpartanWarrior, it's cool to be all up on the Spartans and all - I mean, I am too - but you're not going to get too far learning history if you constantly put them up on a massive pedestal like this. How can we be certain that they were the most 'feared fighting force in all of history' when there is so much to contend with? Even in the ancient times there were the legionarii, the Makedonians, the Assyrians, the anushiya, etc. That's sort of the impression everybody gets when they begin to learn about the Spartans (not saying you're a beginner with them, but by your enthusiasm it kind of seems so), and yeah, you'll eventually learn that they did get their arses kicked from time to time. Not that there's anything wrong with that - they were human, yes? And even then, they're certainly a fascinating culture to research.

You may find this blog post interesting: http://hollow-lakedaimon.blogspot.co...to-sparta.html

I hope you find the answers you're looking for!

[SpartanWarriorXI]

Ahhh yes I've already favorited that blog lol. And no I am not a beginner at Spartan history... I just wish to learn in detail their history after Leuktra. Nor am I a beginner to military history in general so I am very familiar to all the cultures you named (except the last one ) Seeing as everyone is entitled to their opinion I still hold it as mine that they were the most feared fighting machine in the ancient world. Even the most feared must fall eventually. Sadly yes... they did get beaten from time to time the best example being their defeat at the Tegeans in which they were enslaved in their own chains!!! Hey there's nothing wrong with being enthusiastic is there???

[Racer X]

Ah, then that's alright then.

The 'anushiya' were the Persian Immortals, by the way.

[SpartanWarriorXI]

I learn something new everyday lol... yes the Persians and especially the East during the Classical era are really weak with me... I tend to focus on the West

[jib1]

they didnt lose many battles in comparision to the ones the fought but the difrence that caused there downfall was the ones they lost had a huge impact.

and when there slaves revolted and killed of the last of the true blood spartans it was due to the huge number of slaves against some small amount of spartans.

in the "golden age of the spartans" they where very good and up the top but due to the way they define spartan the population of spartans fell rapidly over the years.

[SpartanWarriorXI]

Dude all I have to say is your signature is cool lol

[jib1]

Dude all I have to say is your signature is cool lol

mate if you mean me thanks very much.

by the way i dont know if you will include this but historicly sparta always had two kings.

this was to encorage fighting between them but they would fight together when the state deamed so. meaning if the persians threatend to invade they would stop a civil war completly and all go and fight the persians.

[SpartanWarriorXI]

Yeah I meant you lol... oh and I'm not making a mod just looking for some interesting sources on Spartan History