A Companion to Sparta

Presents the first comprehensive, multi-authored series of essays to address all aspects of Spartan history and society from its origins in the Greek Dark Ages to the late Roman Empire. Home to perhaps the most celebrated warrior elite the world has ever known, few societies have left a more enduring legacy than the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta. A Companion to Sparta gives readers a unique and immersive look at this incredible society and its effect on the world. In this two-volume collection, authors combine cutting-edge research and innovative insights of their own with accessible surveys of recent scholarship on Sparta's archaeology and history--from its mist-shrouded origins in the Greek Dark Ages following the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization to the waning days of the late Roman Empire. Along with coverage of the full evolutionary sweep of classical Sparta's politics and warfare, essays highlight cultural topics such as Sparta's distinctive systems of education and religion, athletics, music, plastic art, and vase-painting; as well as its influence on the modern world and reception in Europe and North America. Of particular note are chapters addressing such themes as the unique roles of women, state-owned Helots, and perioikoi (free, yet non-citizen inhabitants) in ancient Spartan society. * Offers a lucid, comprehensive introduction to all aspects of ancient Sparta, a community recognized by contemporary cities as the greatest power in classical Greece * Features in-depth coverage of Spartan history and culture * Includes contributions by today's internationally-recognized scholarly authorities on Sparta * Provides over a dozen images of Spartan art that reveal the evolution of everyday life in Sparta * Sheds new light on modern controversy relating to changes in Spartan society from the Archaic to Classical periods Unlike any book before it, A Companion to Sparta offers invaluable insights into an ancient warrior society that has fascinated and inspired the Western world for millennia, and will appeal to students and scholars of ancient history, ancient Greece, Classical Greece, and Archaic Greece.