The Spartans: The World of the Warrior-Heroes of Ancient Greece (2003)

by Paul Cartledge

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540	8	18,588	(3.42)	11

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Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the World by Paul Cartledge (2006)
The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan (2003)
A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War by Victor Davis Hanson (2005)
The Battle of Salamis: The Naval Encounter that Saved Greece -- and Western Civilization by Barry Strauss (1985)
The Greco-Persian Wars by Peter Green (1996)

The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece by Victor Davis Hanson (1989)
The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War (Cornell Paperbacks) by Donald Kagan (1969)
Same series: The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition (Cornell Paperbacks) (The Peloponnesian War Series)
Plutarch on Sparta by Plutarch (1988)
Alexander of Macedon 356-323 B.C.: A Historical Biography by Peter Green (1991)
Persian Fire : The First World Empire and the Battle for the West by Tom Holland (2005)

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I enjoyed reading this engagingly written short history of Sparta from the beginning to the loss of importance in the Roman empire and the afterlife of the ideas about Sparta, Leonidas in particular. (

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mari_reads | Aug 4, 2013 |

This was ok, definitely some points of interest, but I probably would have gotten more out of the actual book than I did the audio. As others have noted, there is not much "flow" but rather a bit of hopping around. That added to the rather large number of names, of both people and place, that I had a hard time visualizing, left me a bit confused at times and replaying quite a few chapters. It seems well-researched, and the author well-informed, I'd just probably go the printed route if I had it to do over... (

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ScoutJ | Mar 31, 2013 |

Judging from the fat PBS sticker on the front cover and the advertising on the back, this book was written to accompany a TV show or series. The text doesn’t refer to it, however. This is a short though illuminating take on the history of Sparta from prehistoric times to its long decline through Roman times. It shines a light on ancient Greek history, reminding me how little I know about it. (

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baobab | Nov 10, 2010 |

The Spartan legend has inspired generations, and its legacy can be found in both the Roman and British Empires.

HanoarHatzioni | Jun 10, 2009 |

The book is disappointing. It has a conversational tone, but is not well organized or deep; frankly, it reads like a lightly edited transcription of lecture notes. So, while this material is engaging and informative as far as it goes, I suspect the author had a better book in him. (

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isinger | Jun 21, 2008 |

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Original publication date

2003

People/Characters

Important places

Ancient Greece

Athens, Greece

Important events

Related movies

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Dedication

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Disambiguation notice

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English

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Ancient Greek eros

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0330413252, Paperback)

The Spartan legend has inspired and captivated subsequent generations with evidence of its legacy found in both the Roman and British Empires. The Spartans are our ancestors, every bit as much as the Athenians. But while Athens promoted democracy, individualism, culture and society, their great rivals Sparta embodied militarism, totalitarianism, segregation and brutal repression. As ruthless as they were self-sacrificing, their devastatingly successful war rituals made the Spartans the ultimate fighting force, epitomized by Thermopylae. While slave masters to the Helots for over three centuries, Spartan women, such as Helen of Troy, were free to indulge in education, dance and sport. Interspersed with the personal biographies of leading figures, and based on 30 years' research, The Spartans tracks the people from 480 to 360 BC charting Sparta's progression from the Great Power of the Aegean Greek world to its ultimate demise. "Cartledge's crystalline prose, his vivacious storytelling and his lucid historical insights combine here to provide a first-rate history of the Spartans, their significance to ancient Greece and their influence on our culture" Publishing News

(retrieved from Amazon Mon, 30 Sep 2013 13:56:08 -0400)

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▾Library descriptions

In this title, Cartledge provides an account of Sparta and the Spartans, examining the evolution of their ancient society and culture, one that was significantly masculine but that allowed women an unusually dominant and powerful role.

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