In 480BC, the Spartans secured their place in history when 300 of their soldiers fought to the death against the mighty Persian army at Thermopylae. Their reputation for brutal decisiveness and simple living have been admired for thousands of years. But what about the darker side of Spartan ideology, a society that culled weak babies, forced children to fight, and enslaved its neighbours? Was Sparta really a utopia? Or was Aristotle right when he said that Spartans simply made men into machines?

This is a Short History of the Spartans.

Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Dr Andrew Bayliss, Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Birmingham, UK, and author of The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction.

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