Incorporated in 1845, Sparta was once a Colonial farming village comprised of stone mills, general stores, and one-room schoolhouses. Summer visitors from surrounding metropolitan areas were drawn to Sparta in the late 1800s for the fresh mountain air. During that time, Thomas Edison came to Sparta to extract iron ore at his massive Edison village manufacturing plant on Sparta Mountain. The 1920s saw the development of Lake Mohawk, permanently changing the landscape of the township as the windswept Brogden Meadow was transformed into a sparkling 3-mile-long lake, which attracted hundreds of part-time residents. While Sparta is no longer a farming community, mining town, or seasonal vacation destination, today's residents take great pride in its small-town appeal and rich, colorful past.
Both in antiquity and in modern scholarship, classical Sparta has typically been viewed as an exceptional society, different in many respects from other Greek city-states. This view has recently come under challenge from revisionist historians, led by Stephen Hodkinson. This is the first book devoted explicitly to this lively historical controversy. Historians from Britain, Europe and the USA present different sides of the argument, using a variety of comparative approaches. The focus includes kingship and hegemonic structures, education and commensality, religious institutions and practice, helotage and ethnography. The volume concludes with a wide-ranging debate between Hodkinson and Mogens Herman Hansen (Director of the Copenhagen Polis Centre), on the overall question of whether Sparta was a normal or an exceptional polis.
Are you fascinated by the legends of ancient Greece and the incredible warriors who once roamed the land? If so, then Sparta: Rise Of The Warrior City-State is the perfect book bundle for you! This 4-in-1 collection is a comprehensive exploration of the legendary city-state of Sparta, which rose to prominence as one of the most powerful military forces in the ancient world. With books dedicated to the city-state's warriors, queens, armies, and society, this bundle is the ultimate resource for anyone looking to learn more about the fascinating history of Sparta. Book 1, Sparta: The Warrior City-State, takes readers on a journey through the unique culture of the Spartans, exploring their brutal training methods and legendary victories on the battlefield. Learn about the tactics, weapons, and fighting techniques that made the Spartans some of the most feared warriors in history. In Book 2, Spartan Women: Mothers, Warriors, And Queens, readers will discover the powerful and influential women who helped shape Spartan society. From the queens who held sway over Spartan politics to the fierce warriors who fought alongside their male counterparts, Spartan women played a vital role in the city-state's success. Book 3, The Spartan Army: Elite Warriors Of The Ancient World, provides an in-depth look at the military might of Sparta. Discover the tactics and strategies that made the Spartan army a force to be reckoned with, and learn about the battles and campaigns that helped establish the city-state as a dominant force in the ancient world. Finally, in Book 4, Spartan Society: Power, Politics, And Identity, readers will explore the political and social structures that made Spartan society so unique. From the powerful Gerousia council to the dual kingship system, Spartan society was a complex web of power and influence that helped shape the course of history. Whether you're a history buff, a lover of ancient cultures, or simply interested in the stories that make history great, Sparta: Rise Of The Warrior City-State is the ultimate book bundle for anyone looking to learn more about the incredible world of ancient Greece. Don't miss out on this chance to explore the fascinating world of Sparta and its legendary warriors!
The volume, jointly promoted by the Department of Classics of Sapienza University and the Institute of Sparta, intends to explore the multifaceted system of connections and interactions among ancient poleis by focusing on Sparta, which acts as an exemplary case study to understand the complex relations among Greek cities in the classical Hellenic world. The latter is indeed composed by an extended range of settlements based on specific jurisdictions, sets of laws and ethical principles, that are nevertheless connected by a common shared culture. The publication includes the Proceedings of the International Conference “International relations in Antiquity: the case of Sparta” held in Sparta in 2021 and further papers dealing with the ancient Laconian polis. The book aims to critically analyse the Spartan international network, through an open and constructive methodology, deprived of pre-arranged interpretative models. Moreover, it means to bring together scholars from different backgrounds and a variety of scientific disciplines (such as philology, epigraphy, history, archaeology, international relations) to foster a fruitful cross-sectorial dialogue, aimed at enabling a comprehensive understanding of ancient Hellas.
In ancient Greece, Sparta was unique in having a dual kingship two kings from different clans, the Agiads and the Eurypontids, reigning simultaneously. The institution was already well-developed by the 8th century BC, when Theopompos of the Eurypontid clan emerges as the first recorded Spartan king. At least fifty-seven men held office as Spartan king between Theopompos and the Agiad Kleomenes III who died in 222 BC. For almost all this period the Spartan kingship was primarily a military office, and thus the kings embody much of the military history of Sparta. Wherever Spartas main battles took place, there the kings were. Naturally, the character of the particular king would often determine the outcome of a battle or campaign. Leonidas I at Thermopylai was one example. At the other end of the scale the young and unwar-like Pleistoanax twice declined an encounter with the Athenians when sent against that city.John Carr offers a chronological account of the kings and their accomplishments (or lack thereof), from the founding Herakleidai clan to Kleomenes III and his successor, the dictator Nabis, and the Roman conquest in the middle of the 2nd century BC. The book is not intended to be a complete history of Sparta. It will be a human interest and war story, focusing attention on the kings personal qualities as well as their (or their generals) military accomplishments and, where applicable, their politics as well.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW! Book 7 in The Long War series from the master of historical fiction, Christian Cameron When the dust settled and the blood dried after the Battle of Plataea, Greeks might have thought that their freedom was secured. But before the corpse of the Great King's general was cold, Athens and Sparta began to bicker over dividing up the spoils. After an autumn of victory, it's a long cold winter among the burned cities and destroyed shrines of Greece, and a hungry spring. And when Arimnestos goes to sea to cruise the Persian-held coasts, he finds that Persia is still not beaten... and that old alliances are now fraying. Is the impossible true? Would the Spartans rather see Athens destroyed than Persia defeated? And who will save the cities of Ionia from the Great King's wrath? It's the spring of 478BCE, and the Long War isn't over yet. ______________ PRAISE FOR CHRISTIAN CAMERON 'The master of historical fiction' SUNDAY TIMES 'A storyteller at the height of his powers' HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY 'Superb' THE TIMES 'A sword-slash above the rest' IRISH EXAMINER 'One of the finest writers of historical fiction in the world' BEN KANE
