Ancient Sparta facts

While investigating facts about Ancient Spartan Training and Ancient Sparta Map, I found out little known, but curios details like:

Pyrrhus of Epirus, an ancient Greek General, died while fighting an enemy soldier in the streets of Sparta. The soldier's mother, who was watching their battle from a rooftop, threw a tile that hit Pyrrhus in the head and paralyzed him, sealing his fate.

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From a dictionary why the ancient Greek civilization of Sparta had no walls:"'the Spartan king Agesilaus simply pointed to his fellow citizens, armed to the teeth, the most formidable soldiers in Greece: 'Here are the walls of the Spartans.'"

What did ancient sparta look like?

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what type of government did ancient sparta have. Here are 46 of the best facts about Ancient Spartan Armor and Ancient Sparta Government I managed to collect.

what ancient sparta looked like?

The "Ephors" of Ancient Sparta were a council of 5 men that held the power to depose the Spartan Kings or elder councilmen, were elected for 1 year terms and were ineligible for re-election afterwards.
In Ancient Sparta boys were punished for not answering questions Briefly and Wittily enough
About the Sacred Band of Thebes. A elit military unit in ancient Greece which consisted of 150 pairs of gay lovers. They were feared and honored as the best warriors in all of Greece and even won against the then Greece superpower Sparta.
In ancient Sparta, every newborn boy was brought before the magistrates to be examined for physical hardiness. If a child was judged unfit, he was taken to a wild gorge on Mount Taygetos, the mountain overlooking the city, and left for the wolves.
In ancient Sparta unwanted children were killed. After birth, a mother would bathe her child in wine to see whether the child was strong. If the child survived it was brought before the leaders.If they considered it "puny and deformed", the baby was thrown into a chasm on Mount Taygetos.
The Krypteia, a super secretive special unit in ancient Sparta, was the unit given the dubious task of controling their slave population by annual massacres. Even more messed up: they had to do the killings in secrecy and was punished by whipping if anyone caught them.
Spartan babies were often bathed in wine instead of water. They were not picked up when they cried very often in an effort to make them tough.
Aphrodite won a beauty contest against Athena and Hera, by providing Paris, a mortal, with a promise of love from Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. However when Paris collected Helen from her Greek husband Menelaus (the king of Sparta), the Trojan War started. The prize of the contest was a golden apple marked "For the Fairest".
Babies that were not judged as fit for future use as a soldier they were abandoned on a hillside. If strangers did not pick them up they would die of exposure.
Sparta had two kings - the Assembly and the Gerousia.

ancient sparta facts — What form of government existed in ancient sparta?

Why was sparta important in ancient greece?

You can easily fact check why was sparta and athens so important to ancient greece by examining the linked well-known sources.

Spartans drank wine but did not like drunkenness. They were known to make the Helots drink until drunk and then use their behaviour as an example for children.

Due to Sparta being the most warlike and martially capable of the Greek city-states, the members of the Greek League chose Leonidas to be their commander-in-chief in 481 BC in their war against Persia.

Because of the Spartans dedication to their army and to battle they were often able to defeat much larger armies.

The word marathon originated from Pheidippides's run from Athens to Sparta in 490 BC. He ran from one city to the other in order to ask for help in the Battle of Marathon against the Persians.

Despite the hardships self-imposed by the Spartans, there has been evidence that they owned beautiful works of art and jewelry.

When was ancient sparta founded?

Sparta remained an independent city-state until 146 BC when the Roman Empire defeated them.

How tall were ancient spartans?

Although Leonidas was born to his father's first wife, he was actually born after Cleomenes. The elders of Sparta believed that Anaxandridas II's first wife could not conceive a child so he was persuaded to take another wife.

Sparta boys were sent to live in army barracks when they were only seven years old.

Sparta rose to power in 650BC.

Between 492 and 449 BC the Spartans fought the Persians, leading the Greek city states because of their military strength.

During the battle of Thermopylae the Spartans, only 300 strong, fought off hundreds of thousands of Persians.

When did ancient sparta begin?

In Ancient Sparta, men who were unmarried after a certain age were subject to various penalties, including being forbidden to watch women's gymnastics

Ancient Sparta was built on the Evrotas River so that a fresh water source would be available.

How big was ancient sparta?

In ancient Sparta, the traditional wedding ritual was to capture the bride, shave her head, dress her in man's clothing, and leave her alone in a dark room until the groom finishes eating and carries her to his bed.

The word "laconic" is derived from "Laconia," the region of Greece where Sparta is located, and references the blunt way in which ancient Spartans communicated.

Boys were encouraged to scavenge and steal for their food. If caught however they were punished - not for the theft - but for being caught doing it.

Only two deaths would result in a marked headstone. Only soldiers who died in combat during a battle that was victorious, or a woman who died giving birth could be buried with a marked headstone.

The Sparta way of life was one without luxury. In order to be accepted as full citizens of Sparta one had to endure deprivation and hardship.

The Classical Period of Ancient Greece began with the start of democracy and ended when Alexander the Great died in 323 BC. During the Classical Period Socrates and Plato became great philosophers and the ancient cities of Sparta and Athens went to war.

According the fifth century BC historian Herodotus, Pheidippides actually ran more than 150 miles from Athens to Sparta to get their help, but they were celebrating an important religious festival.

Women did not fight in the army but were required to participate in physical activity to ensure good health and strong babies.

Pericles led Athens against Sparta and Delphi in the Second Sacred War (449-448 BC)

Any Sparta citizen who was in poor fitness or overweight risked being ridiculed and thrown out of the city.

In Ancient Sparta, he who shouted louder in an Assembly would be the one whose objection mattered the most.

This is our collection of basic interesting facts about Ancient Sparta. The fact lists are intended for research in school, for college students or just to feed your brain with new realities. Possible use cases are in quizzes, differences, riddles, homework facts legend, cover facts, and many more. Whatever your case, learn the truth of the matter why is Ancient Sparta so important!