The Spartans: The World of the Warrior-Heroes of Ancient Greece, from Utopia to Crisis and Collapse (review)

Sparta was a unique example of the socio-economic and political community the ancient Greeks called a polis. Spartan citizen-soldiers were raised to serve their state, and to subordinate their personal concerns and desires to the requirements of the community. They spent their lives training for or actually serving in military campaigns, following only the profession of arms. In time Sparta became the most powerful state militarily in Greece, and the virtues of absolute obedience to the commands of the state and steadfast bravery in the face of death were epitomized by King Leonidas and his 300 "Warrior-Heroes" who gave their lives in battle against the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C. A noble goal, perhaps, this ultimate dedication to the polis, but to what end? The objective was to keep subservient through terror and repression the agricultural class known as helots (the captured ones), whose forced labor supported the lifestyle of the citizen-elites. Many Greeks admired the Spartans, and even more feared and respected them, for their valor, military prowess, and dedication to their polis. Sparta projected a mystique which compelled the attention of non-Spartans, but it was shrouded in secrecy, as the Athenian historian Thucydides wrote. What was Sparta really all about, and how had it come to be? How was its military power used in the classical period, and how did the Spartans ultimately lose their unparalleled position of hegemony in the Greek world? These are the questions which this book addresses.

Part I examines Spartan mythology to uncover the origins of Sparta's peculiar customs, institutions, and way of life, treating such topics as the conquest of Messenia and its consequences; the role of the legendary lawgiver Lycurgus; and Sparta's shaping of a military alliance known as the Peloponnesian League. Part II discusses Sparta's role in providing the military leadership which contributed to the Greek victory in the Persian Wars (499-479); the relationship of Sparta to Athens, which forged an alliance/empire of Greek states to protect against further Persian threats; and the great struggle between Sparta and Athens, which destroyed Athens's empire, power, and democracy. Part III traces the dismal process whereby Sparta forfeited its political capital as victor over Athenian tyranny, alienated erstwhile allies such as Thebes and Corinth, and lost its hegemony at the fateful battle of Leuctra in 371. There is a brief sequel on Sparta in decline, in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, and a discussion of the subsequent development of the Spartan legend since antiquity.

Given Cartledge's extensive publications on Sparta, including several books, it is not surprising that there are few novel interpretations or fresh insights here. It is in the approach and structure of this book that we find novelties, the most striking of which is the inclusion in most chapters of mini-biographies of figures central to chapter themes. But note: these "biographies" are hardly that, since some characters are legendary rather than historical (e.g., Helen and Lycurgus), and the sources rarely permit anything like certainty about those whose historicity is not in doubt. Nonetheless, this vehicle allows Cartledge to employ his historiographical skills and thus painlessly to introduce the uninitiated reader to source criticism. The value of this book is as an introduction to, and overview of, a fascinating society in ancient Greece. It is well written and interesting and there is no question about its scholarship. Students and general readers will learn a great deal about Sparta, and even the specialist may find a nugget or two of value.