With guest Emily Greenwood Abstract: The Athenian historian Thucydides observed and chronicled the greatest military conflict of his day: the epic contest between Athens and Sparta known as the Peloponnesian War…
By Daphne D. Martin Abstract: Martin analyses the history and culture of Sparta beyond its classical representation as a warfare-oriented polis. Covering representations from the classical period to the Roman era to…
by Orlando Patterson Abstract: This chapter offers a comparative perspective on the problems of the nature of helotry and, more specifically, its relation to the condition of slavery; of its origin; and the problem of…
By Ellen Millender Abstract: Thucydides’ History is one of the most important sources on the Peloponnesian League, the alliance that facilitated Sparta’s development into a leading power in the Greek world. As he…
By Noreen Humble Abstract: Xenophon of Athens (c. 430–354 BCE) has long been considered an uncritical admirer of Sparta who hero-worships the Spartan King Agesilaus and eulogises Spartan practices in his Lacedaimoniôn…
By Carolyn Willekes Abstract: This book sketches the change from heroic to hoplite warfare, and discusses the equipment and training of both the citizen soldiers of most Greek cities, and the professional soldiers of…
By Dr Elena Franchi for the University of Nottingham Abstract: On the eve of the Peloponnesian war, the Spartans had to decide whether to launch an offensive attack or not. King Archidamus advised them to be warlike…