Sparta

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Sparta was an ancient Greek city and the most powerful state of the Peloponnese. The city lay on the northern end of the Laconian plain, on the right bank of the river Eurotas. The site is admirably fitted by nature to guard the only routes by which an army can penetrate Laconia from the land side. At the same time its distance from sea made it invulnerable to a maritime attack.

In Greek mythology, Sparta was founded by Lacedaemon, son of Zeus and Taygete, who called the city after the name of his wife, the daughter of Eurotas -- hence the name "Lacedaemonians" for its inhabitants. It appears, however, that Sparta was actually founded by the Dorians who made it their capital. The city rose to power after the legislation of Lycurgus who effected the unification of the state and instituted compulsory military training which was to become its distinguishing feature. The whole education of a Spartan boy was designed to make him an efficient soldier: obedience, endurance, and military prowess.

The city-state expanded within the Peloponnese and became the dominant power with the defeat of Argos in 546 BC. At the time of the Persian invasion led by Xerxes I, no Greek state questioned Sparta's supremacy and her right to lead the Greek forces against the Persians. Sparta is particularly famous for the heroic defense of the Thermopylae pass by King Leonidas and his 300 Spartan soldiers and their allies.

Sparta was one of the main and most successful players in the Peloponnesian Wars, which was to lead to the eventual fall of Athens at the hands of Sparta, reinforcing once more the Spartan domination of Greece. Yet in 396 BC the Spartan fleet was defeated by the Persians, and Sparta ceased to be a maritime power. Within Greece, opposition against Sparta was growing, which led Sparta to sign the Peace of Antalcidas in 387 BC. According to the terms of this treaty, all Greek cities in Asia Minor and Cyprus were surrendered to Artaxerxes II of Persia.

In response to this humiliating peace treaty, the Greek city-states, led by Thebes, challenged Sparta's hegemony. After several intra-Greek conflicts, Sparta was weakened and by 362 BC, it was superseded by Thebes as the great Greek power. Sparta's last stand was against Philip of Macedon when Sparta was forced into surrender by the devastation of Laconia.

Written by Jan van der Crabben, published 28 April 2011.

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