This story appears in the November/December 2016 issue of National Geographic History magazine. Sparta’s enemies, when facing the intimidating Spartan forces, would see a wall of shields ...

Lycurgus references a mythological Greek lawmaker of the same name who is considered the architect of Sparta’s military-oriented lifestyle and social rule that has lent its name to the phrase “spartan ...

Famous quotes and anecdotes associated with the Spartans: Herodotus reports that just before the Battle of Thermoplyae, a Spartan warrior named Dienekes was told that the Persian archers could ...

despite the authoritarian grip of Sparta on the Greek world. However, Sparta's dominance was not to last. Overextended and unable to adjust to new battle techniques, in 371 BC Spartan hoplites ...

Spartan women also had more freedom than other Greek women. For example, they could run the family farm. Spartan mothers told their sons before they left for battle, "Come back with your shield ...

Find out about their gods and the stories told about them. The ancient Greeks at war Learn about ancient Greek soldiers, the Spartan soldier state and read about famous Greek battles. What do we ...