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Spartan army
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| Army of Sparta | |
|---|---|
 Lambda (Λ), the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet, was the symbol that Spartan soldiers displayed on their shields | |
| Founded | 8th century BC |
| Disbanded | 2nd century BC |
| Country | Sparta |
| Type | Army |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Kings of Sparta |
| Part of a series on |
| Sparta |
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| Spartan Constitution |
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| Legacy |
The Spartan army was the principle ground force of Sparta. It stood at the center of the ancient Greek city-state, consisting of citizens trained in the disciplines and honor of a warrior society.[1] Subjected to military drills since early manhood, the Spartans became one of the most feared and formidable military forces in the Greek world, attaining legendary status in their wars against Persia. At the height of Sparta's power—between the 6th and 4th centuries BC—other Greeks commonly accepted that "one Spartan was worth several men of any other state."[1]
Tradition states that the semi-mythical Spartan legislator Lycurgus first founded the iconic army.[2] Referring to Sparta as having a "wall of men, instead of bricks," he proposed reforming the Spartan society to develop a military-focused lifestyle following "proper virtues" such as equality for the male citizens, austerity, strength, and fitness. Spartan boys deemed strong enough entered the agoge regime at the age of seven, undergoing intense and rigorous military training.[3] Their education focused primarily on fostering cunningness, practicing sports and war tactics, and also included learning about poetry, music, academics, and sometimes politics. Those who passed the agoge by the age of 30 achieved full Spartan citizenship.
In modern times, the term "Spartan" is frequently an expression that describes simplicity by design.[4] In the classical era, "Lacedaemonian" or "Laconian" was used for attribution, referring to the region of the city-state instead of one of the decentralized settlements called Sparta. From this derives the already ancient term "Laconic," and is related to expressions such as "Laconic phrase" or "Laconophilia."
- ^ a b Connolly (2006), p. 38
- ^ Plutarch, The Life of Lycurgus (written 75, trans. John Dryden 9999), The Internet Classics Archive
- ^ Hodkinson, Stephen (1996). "Agoge". In Hornblower, Simon (ed.). Oxford Classical Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ^ Compare: Oxford Dictionary: "Showing or characterized by austerity or a lack of comfort or luxury".
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