The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction

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Andrew J. Bayliss (Associate Professor in Greek History, University of Birmingham)

The Spartans

A Very Short Introduction

Andrew J. Bayliss (Associate Professor in Greek History, University of Birmingham)

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English

Oxford University Press
18 August 2022

History; Classical history & classical civilisation; Military history

Series: Very Short Introductions

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

The myths surrounding Sparta are as old as the city itself. Even in antiquity, Sparta was a unique society, and considered an enigma. The Spartans who fought for freedom against the Persians called themselves 'equals' or peers, but their equality was reliant on the ruthless exploitation of the indigenous population known as helots. The Spartans' often bizarre rules and practices have the capacity to horrify as much they do to fascinate us today. Athenian writers were intrigued and appalled in equal measure by a society where weak or disabled babies were said to have been examined carefully by state officials before being dumped off the edge of a cliff. Even today their lurid stories have shaped our image of Sparta; a society in which cowards were forced to shave off half their beards, to dress differently from their peers, and who were ultimately shunned to the extent that suicide seemed preferable. The legend of Sparta was even perpetuated by later Spartans, who ran a thriving tourist industry that exaggerated the famed brutality of their ancestors.

This Very Short Introduction separates myth from reality to reveal the best--and the worst--of the Spartans. Andrew Bayliss explores key aspects of Spartan society, including their civic structure, their day-to-day lifestyle, and traditions such as the krypteia, a brutal rite of passage where teenagers were sent into the countryside and ordered to eliminate the biggest and most dangerous helots. Alongside this, Bayliss also sheds light on the many admirable qualities of ancient Sparta, such as their state-run education system, or the fact that this society was almost unparalleled in the pre-modern world for the rights given to Spartan women.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

By: Andrew J. Bayliss (Associate Professor in Greek History University of Birmingham)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 175mm, Width: 110mm, Spine: 10mm
Weight: 138g
ISBN: 9780198787600
ISBN 10: 019878760X
Series: Very Short Introductions
Pages: 184
Publication Date: 18 August 2022
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

1: Introduction: the legend of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae 2: Sparta's civic structure 3: Raising a Spartan 4: The Spartan lifestyle 5: Helots and perioikoi 6: Spartan women 7: The Spartan mirage and normalising Sparta 8: The modern reception of Sparta Further reading Index

Andrew J. Bayliss is a Senior Lecturer in Greek History at the University of Birmingham. He has published extensively on Sparta and Ancient Greece, including After Demosthenes: The Politics of Early Hellenistic Athens (2011) and Oath and State in Ancient Greece (2012), which was co-written with Alan H. Sommerstein. He has completed commentaries on the fragments of the lost Spartan authors Sosobius, Molpis, Nicocles, Hippasus, Phaestus, and Polycrates for Brill's New Jacoby Online, and is currently working on a database of ancient references to Spartan emotions, actions, and attitudes.

Reviews for The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction

With a succinctness worthy of his subjects - whose 'linguistic austerity' inspired the word 'laconic' - Bayliss distils extensive research to offer an engaging, lucid insight into this unique society. * Madeleine Finney, The Mail on Sunday * A new history of these extraordinary and often terrifying people, which is both scholarly and highly entertaining. * Christopher Hart, Mail Online * The Spartans will prove of value not only to the layman interested in learning something about this most famous ancient warrior culture, but also the seasoned student of the subject. * A. A. Nofi, New York Military Affairs * With deceptive ease, [Bayliss] guides his readers not just across well-trodden ground but sometimes to unexpected vantage points from where he can challenge orthodox views... The Spartans punches above its weight, and with 14 black-and-white illustrations (including two maps), references, suggestions for further reading and an index, it's a knockout. Anyone interested in Sparta should read it, and every school library should own it. * David Stuttard, Classics for All * Throughout the book, Bayliss never shouts. Yet, in his quiet, succinct way, he has produced a book that can with some justice claim, 'This is Sparta.' * Alastair Brans, Australian Book Review *