Ruthless Facts About Spartans, Ancient Greece's Legendary Warriors
"The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle was over, even a god-king can bleed." —King Leonidas, 300; the film adaptation of the Battle of Thermopylae.
Highly disciplined and trained to be warriors from a young age, Spartans were one of the most feared military forces in the Greek world. At the height of Sparta’s power, it was commonly accepted that “one Spartan was worth several men of any other state.” Theirs is one of the most widely respected military cultures that has ever made its presence felt on Earth. Which is saying a lot, considering the human propensity for violence. But beyond what we've all seen in movies like 300, what went into creating this singularly impressive nation? Here are a few things you might not have known about these legendary warriors.
Spartans Facts
45. Birth of a Nation
The iconic Spartan army was the brainchild of a legendary lawgiver named Lycurgus, who organized their culture and brought them to prominence. Lycurgus referred to Sparta as having “a wall of men, instead of bricks.”
Imagine the Great Wall of China, except instead of a stones and mortar piled up in front of you, it's thousands of absolutely ripped Spartan warriors who have been trained since birth to specialize in murder.
That was Sparta's primary method of self-defense.
44. Early Enrolment
The Spartans had a ruthless reputation around the ancient world. And it says a lot that their absolute efficiency in warfare is still so widely remembered today. But a reputation like that doesn't come easily.
All Spartan citizens were expected to be professional soldiers, and children were removed from their homes at the age of seven to begin training.
These children were put in the agoge system. There, they lived communally, studied fighting as well as reading and writing, and were fed, according to Xenophon, "just the right amount for them never to become sluggish through being too full, while also giving them a taste of what it is not to have enough."
43. Not Above the Law
Even though the kings of Sparta came from royal bloodlines, they were still judged as civilians and held to the same laws of the community.
Before we go forward, and start to see some of the less-tasteful things that characterized Spartan culture, let's take a moment to appreciate how forward-thinking that was.
Most historical monarchs enjoyed lifestyles and powers similar to those of a Galactic Overlord. Good for the Spartans, keeping things equal.
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