Introduction

The Spartan way of life was well described by Xenophon in his work: Lacedaemonian Politics. He wrote that in most states everyone enriches themselves as best they can, without disdaining by any means. In Sparta, on the contrary, the legislator, with his inherent wisdom, deprived wealth of all attractiveness. All Spartariats - poor and rich - lead exactly the same way of life, eat the same at a common table, wear the same modest clothes, their children without any differences and concessions to military drill. So acquisitions are devoid of any meaning in Sparta. Lycurgus (the Spartan king) turned money into a laughing stock: it is so inconvenient. This is where the expression “Spartan way of life” comes from, meaning simple, without any frills, restrained, strict and severe.

All the ancient classics from Herodotus and Aristotle to Plutarch agreed that before Lycurgus came to rule Sparta, the existing order there was ugly. And that there were no worse laws in any of the then Greek city-states. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the Spartans had to constantly keep in obedience the masses of the indigenous Greek population of the once conquered lands, turned into slaves or semi-dependent tributaries. It goes without saying that internal political conflicts posed a threat to the very existence of the state.

In ancient Sparta there was a bizarre mixture of totalitarianism and democracy. The founder of the “Spartan way of life,” the legendary ancient reformer Lycurgus, created, according to many researchers, the prototype of both social-communist and fascist political systems of the twentieth century. Lycurgus not only transformed the political and economic system of Sparta, but also completely regulated the personal life of his fellow citizens. Severe measures to “correct morals” presupposed, in particular, the decisive eradication of “private property” vices - greed and self-interest, for which money was almost completely devalued.

Lycurgus's thoughts, therefore, not only pursued the goal of establishing order, but were also called upon to solve the problem national security Spartan power.

The history of Sparta

Sparta, the main city of the region of Laconia, was located on the western bank of the Eurotas River and extended north from the modern city of Sparta. Laconia (Laconica) is the abbreviated name for the region, which was fully called Lacedaemon, so the inhabitants of this area were often called “Lacedaemonians”, which is equivalent to the words “Spartan” or “Spartiate”.

From the 8th century BC. Sparta began to expand by conquering its neighbors - other Greek city-states. During the 1st and 2nd Messenian Wars (between 725 and 600 BC), the region of Messenia to the west of Sparta was conquered, and the Messenians were turned into helots, i.e. state slaves.

Having recaptured more territory from Argos and Arcadia, Sparta moved from a policy of conquest to increasing its power through treaties with various Greek city-states. As the head of the Peloponnesian League (began to emerge around 550 BC, took shape around 510-500 BC), Sparta actually turned into the most powerful military power in Greece. This created a counterweight to the impending Persian invasion, which the combined efforts of the Peloponnesian League and Athens and its allies led to decisive victories over the Persians at Salamis and Plataea in 480 and 479 BC.

Conflict between the two greatest states of Greece, Sparta and Athens, land and sea powers, was inevitable, and in 431 BC. The Peloponnesian War broke out. Ultimately, in 404 BC. Sparta took over.

Dissatisfaction with Spartan dominance in Greece led to a new war. The Thebans and their allies, led by Epaminondas, inflicted a heavy defeat on the Spartans and Sparta began to lose its former power.

Sparta had a special political and social structure. The Spartan state has long been headed by two hereditary kings. They held meetings together with the gerusia - the council of elders, to which 28 people over 60 years of age were elected for life. All Spartans who had reached the age of 30 and had sufficient funds to do what was considered necessary for a citizen, in particular, to contribute their share to participate in joint meals (fidityas), participated in the national assembly (apella). Later, the institution of ephors arose, five officials who were elected by the assembly, one from each region of Sparta. The five ephors had power that exceeded that of the kings.

The type of civilization that is now called “Spartan” is not typical for early Sparta. Before 600 BC Spartan culture generally coincided with the way of life of the then Athens and other Greek states. Fragments of sculptures, fine ceramics, ivory, bronze, lead and terracotta figurines discovered in this area indicate high level Spartan culture in the same way as the poetry of the Spartan poets Tyrtaeus and Alcman (7th century BC). However, shortly after 600 BC. there was a sudden change. Art and poetry are disappearing. Sparta suddenly turned into a military camp, and from then on the militarized state produced only soldiers. The introduction of this way of life is attributed to Lycurgus, the hereditary king of Sparta.

The Spartan state consisted of three classes: the Spartiates, or Spartans; perieki ("living nearby") - people from the allied cities surrounding Lacedaemon; helots are slaves of the Spartans.

Only Spartiates could vote and enter governing bodies. They were forbidden to engage in trade and, in order to discourage them from making profit, to use gold and silver coins. Land Spartiates, processed by helots, were supposed to provide their owners with sufficient income to purchase military equipment and meet everyday needs. The Spartan masters did not have the right to release or sell the helots assigned to them; helots were given to the Spartans for temporary use and were the property of the Spartan state. Unlike an ordinary slave, who could not have any property, helots had the right to that part of the products produced on their site that remained after paying a fixed share of the harvest to the Spartans. To prevent uprisings of the helots who had a numerical superiority and to maintain the combat readiness of their own citizens, secret sorties (cryptia) were constantly organized to kill the helots.

Trade and production were carried out by the Perieki. They did not participate in political life Sparta, but had some rights, as well as the privilege of serving in the army.

Thanks to the work of numerous helots, the Spartiates could devote all their time to physical exercise and military affairs. By 600 BC there were about 25 thousand citizens, 100 thousand perieks and 250 thousand helots. Later, the number of helots outnumbered the number of citizens by 15 times.

Wars and economic hardships reduced the number of Spartiates. During the Greco-Persian Wars (480 BC), Sparta fielded c. 5000 Spartiates, but a century later in the Battle of Leuctra (371 BC) only 2000 of them fought. It is mentioned that in the 3rd century. There were only 700 citizens in Sparta.

Ancient Sparta was the main economic and military rival of Athens. The city-state and its surrounding territory were located on the Peloponnese peninsula, southwest of Athens. Administratively, Sparta (also called Lacedaemon) was the capital of the province of Laconia.

The adjective "Spartan" in modern world came from energetic warriors with an iron heart and steely endurance. The inhabitants of Sparta were famous not for their arts, science or architecture, but for their brave warriors, for whom the concepts of honor, courage and strength were placed above all else. Athens at that time, with its beautiful statues and temples, was a stronghold of poetry, philosophy and politics, and thereby dominated the intellectual life of Greece. However, such dominance had to end someday.

Raising children in Sparta

One of the principles that guided the inhabitants of Sparta was that the life of every person, from birth to death, belongs entirely to the state. The elders of the city were given the right to decide the fate of newborns - healthy and strong were left in the city, and weak or sick children were thrown into the nearest abyss. This is how the Spartans tried to secure physical superiority over their enemies. Children who went through “natural selection” were brought up under conditions of severe discipline. At the age of 7, boys were taken from their parents and raised separately, in small groups. The strongest and bravest young men eventually became captains. The boys slept in common rooms on hard and uncomfortable beds made of reeds. The young Spartans ate simple food - soup made from pork blood, meat and vinegar, lentils and other roughage.

One day, a rich guest who came to Sparta from Sybaris decided to try the “black soup”, after which he said that now he understands why Spartan warriors give up their lives so easily. Boys were often left hungry for several days, thereby inciting them to petty theft in the market. This was not done with the intention of making the young man a skilled thief, but only to develop ingenuity and dexterity - if he was caught stealing, he was severely punished. There are legends about one young Spartan who stole a young fox from the market, and when it was time for lunch, he hid it under his clothes. To prevent the boy from being caught stealing, he endured the pain of the fox gnawing his stomach and died without making a single sound. Over time, discipline only became stricter. All adult men, between the ages of 20 and 60, were required to serve in the Spartan army. They were allowed to marry, but even after that, the Spartans continued to sleep in barracks and eat in common canteens. Warriors were not allowed to own any property, especially gold and silver. Their money looked like iron rods of different sizes. Restraint extended not only to everyday life, food and clothing, but also to the speech of the Spartans. In conversation they were very laconic, limiting themselves to extremely concise and specific answers. This style of communication Ancient Greece received the name “laconicism” from the name of the area in which Sparta was located.

Life of the Spartans

In general, as in any other culture, issues of everyday life and nutrition shed light on interesting little things in people’s lives. The Spartans, unlike residents of other Greek cities, did not attach much importance to food. In their opinion, food should not be used to satisfy, but only to saturate a warrior before battle. The Spartans dined at a common table, and everyone handed over food for lunch in the same quantity - this is how the equality of all citizens was maintained. The neighbors at the table kept a watchful eye on each other, and if someone did not like the food, he was ridiculed and compared to the spoiled inhabitants of Athens. But when the time came for battle, the Spartans changed radically: they put on their best outfits, and marched towards death with songs and music. From birth, they were taught to perceive each day as their last, not to be afraid and not to retreat. Death in battle was desired and equated to the ideal end to the life of a real man. There were 3 classes of inhabitants in Laconia. The first, most revered, included residents of Sparta who had military training and participating in the political life of the city. Second class - perieki, or residents of surrounding small towns and villages. They were free, although they did not have any political rights. Engaged in trade and handicrafts, the perieki were a kind of “service personnel” for the Spartan army. Lower class - helots, were serfs, and not much different from slaves. Due to the fact that their marriages were not controlled by the state, the helots were the most numerous category of inhabitants, and were restrained from revolt only thanks to iron grip their owners.

Political life of Sparta

One of the peculiarities of Sparta was that the state was headed by two kings at the same time. They ruled together, serving as high priests and military leaders. Each of the kings controlled the activities of the other, which ensured the openness and fairness of government decisions. Subordinate to the kings was a "cabinet of ministers", consisting of five ethers or observers, who exercised general custody of laws and customs. Legislature consisted of a council of elders, which was headed by two kings. The most respected people were elected to the council people of Sparta who have overcome the 60-year age barrier. Army of Sparta, despite its relatively modest numbers, was well trained and disciplined. Each warrior was filled with determination to win or die - returning with a loss was unacceptable, and was an indelible shame for the rest of his life. Wives and mothers, sending their husbands and sons to war, solemnly presented them with a shield with the words: “Come back with a shield or on it.” Over time, the militant Spartans captured most of the Peloponnese, significantly expanding the boundaries of their possessions. A clash with Athens was inevitable. The rivalry reached its climax during the Peloponnesian War, and led to the fall of Athens. But the tyranny of the Spartans caused hatred among the inhabitants and mass uprisings, which led to the gradual liberalization of power. The number of specially trained warriors decreased, which allowed the inhabitants of Thebes, after about 30 years of Spartan oppression, to overthrow the power of the invaders.

History of Sparta interesting not only from the point of view of military achievements, but also factors of political and life structure. The courage, dedication and desire for victory of the Spartan warriors were the qualities that made it possible not only to restrain the constant attacks of enemies, but also to expand the boundaries of influence. The warriors of this small state easily defeated armies of thousands and were a clear threat to their enemies. Sparta and its inhabitants, brought up on the principles of restraint and the rule of force, were the antithesis of the educated and pampered rich life Athens, which ultimately led to the clash of these two civilizations.

The Cyclades are the most large group islands in the Aegean Sea. Their name is derived from the ancient Greek word “kyuklos” (circle), or more precisely from the adjective “kyuklis” (round). Literally translated, the toponym means “lying in a circle,” although a more poetic perception is possible: “dancing in a circle.”

Scientific achievements of the Greeks

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Ancient Greek philosophy.

Cities in Greece - excursions to Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki – ancient city Greece and the second most populous, which is located on the shores of a stunning bay. The city is a commercial, administrative and cultural place Northern Greece. We can say that Thessaloniki is a direct competitor to Athens, because it is not for nothing that this city is nicknamed the second capital. The city has excellent qualities, and one of them is the first-class resorts and excursions to Thessaloniki, where people from all over the world come to relax.

Sparta is an ancient state in Greece, now known throughout the world. Concepts such as “Spartan” and “Spartan” came from Sparta. Everyone also knows the Spartans’ custom of killing weak children to maintain the gene pool of the nation.

Now Sparta is a small town in Greece, the center of the Laconia region, located in the Peloponnese region. And before, the Spartan state was one of the main contenders for supremacy in ancient Greek world. Some milestones in the history of Sparta are glorified in the works of Homer, including the outstanding “Iliad”. In addition, we all know the films “300 Spartans” and “Troy,” the plot of which also touches on some historical events involving Sparta.

Officially, Sparta was called Lacedaemon, hence the name of the nome Laconia. The emergence of Sparta dates back to the 11th century BC. After some time, the area in which the city-state was located was conquered by Dorian tribes, who, having assimilated with the local Achaeans, became Spartakiates in the sense we know. The former inhabitants of the city were turned into helot slaves.

One of key figures The formation of Sparta as a strong state is Lycurgus, who ruled the city in the 9th century BC. Before the advent of Lycurgus, Sparta, Greece was not much different from other ancient Greek city-states; art, trade, and crafts were also developed here. The poetry of its poets also speaks of the high culture of the Spartan state. However, with the coming to power of Lycurgus, the situation changed radically; priority in development was given to military art. From that moment on, Lacedaemon transformed into a powerful military state.

Beginning in the 8th century BC, Sparta began to wage wars of conquest in the Peloponnese, conquering its neighbors one by one. Thus, the glory of the so-called Messenian wars, the 1st and 2nd, has reached our days, as a result of which Sparta won. The citizens of Messenia were turned into helot slaves. Argos and Arcadia were conquered in the same way.

After a series of military operations to seize works and new territories, Lacedaemon moved to establish diplomatic relations with its neighbors. By concluding treaties, Lacedaemon became the head of the union of the Peloponnesian states - a powerful formation of Ancient Greece.

The creation of the Peloponnesian Union of States by Sparta served as a prototype for a future alliance with Athens to repel the threat of a Persian invasion. During the war with Persia in the 5th century BC, the famous Battle of Thermopylae, which served as the source for the plot of the famous American film "300". And although the plot of the film is far from historical reality, thanks to it, millions of people around the world learned about this battle.

Despite their joint victory in the war with the Persians, the alliance of Athens and Sparta did not last long. In 431 BC, the so-called Peloponnesian War broke out, in which, several decades later, the Spartan state won.

However, not everyone in Ancient Greece was happy with the supremacy of Lacedaemon and 50 years after the Peloponnesian War broke out new war. This time, Thebes and its allies became the rivals of the Spartans, who managed to inflict a serious defeat on Sparta, after which the power of the Spartan state was lost. It is worth noting that between these two bloody and brutal wars for dominance on the peninsula, the Spartans did not sit idle; almost all this time they waged wars against various city-states of Ancient Greece, which ultimately crippled the forces of Lacedaemon.

After the defeat from Thebes, Lacedaemon fought several more wars. Among them are the war with Macedonia in the 4th century BC, which brought defeat to the Spartans, and the war with the invading Galatians in the early 3rd century BC. The Spartans also fought for dominance in the Peloponnese with the newly created Achaean League, and somewhat later, already at the beginning of the 2nd century BC, they were participants in the Laconian War. All these battles and wars clearly showed the strong decline in the former power of the Spartan state. Eventually, Sparta, Greece was forcibly included Ancient Rome, along with other ancient Greek states. Thus ended an independent period in the history of a proud and warlike state. Sparta, an ancient state in Greece, ceased to exist, becoming one of the provinces of Ancient Rome.

The structure of the ancient Spartan state was significantly different from other ancient Greek city-polises. Thus, the rulers of Lacedaemon were two kings from two dynasties - the Agids and the Eurypontids. They ruled the state together with a council of elders, the so-called gerusia, which included 28 people. The gerusia composition was for life. In addition, important government decisions were made at a national assembly called an appelle. Only free citizens who had reached the age of 30 and had sufficient funds took part in the meeting. Arose somewhat later government agency ephors, which included 5 officials from 5 Spartan regions, who together had more power than the kings.

The population of the Spartan state was class-unequal: Spartans, perieki - free residents from nearby cities who did not have the right to vote, and helots - state slaves. The Spartans were supposed to engage exclusively in war; they were not allowed to participate in trade, crafts and agriculture, all this was left to the perieks. The Spartan estates were farmed by helots rented from the state. During the heyday of the Spartan state, there were 5 times fewer Spartans than perioecians and 10 times fewer than helots.

Such was the ancient Sparta, from which now remain the ruins of its buildings, the unfading glory of the warrior state and the small cities of the same name in the south of the Peloponnese.

The phrase “Spartan education” is world famous. A clearly thought-out and streamlined system of not so much raising children as building an entire society glorified the small ancient Greek state for centuries.

But few people know that strict principles, the purpose of which was to create a people who were combat-ready and ready for any hardship, led to the impoverishment of the culture and spirituality of Sparta.

According to many scientists, it was the “Spartan education” that caused the decline and disappearance of this state.

Spartan children

The system of raising boys in ancient Sparta (VIII – IV centuries BC) was called “agoge”, which meant “carrying away”.

Raising boys in a military-heroic spirit was considered a privilege, and therefore extended only to the children of full citizens of Sparta - the Dorians.

For all other “non-Spartan” children, going through this system opened up the prospect of obtaining citizenship, so whenever possible, parents gave their son “to be raised.” However, “education” is not quite the correct term.

It was a state program designed to form a strong army capable of enduring the hardships and hardships of long campaigns of conquest. The life of a Spartan man from birth to old age was subordinated to these goals.

Plutarch, in his work “The Life of Lycurgus,” wrote that fathers brought newborn boys to the council of elders. They examined the child, and if he turned out to be healthy, they gave him back to his father to feed him. Along with the child, the father was entitled to a plot of land.

Weak, sick and deformed children, according to the testimony of Plutarch, were thrown into the abyss by Apophetes. Nowadays, scientists have proven that the ancient Greek thinker exaggerated.

During research at the bottom of the gorge in the Taygetos Mountains, no children's remains were found. The Spartans sometimes threw prisoners or criminals off a cliff, but never children.

Babies in Sparta grew up in hard wooden cradles. The boys were not wearing warm clothes. From the very early years they were forced to study physical exercise– running, jumping.

At the age of 7, boys were taken from home to orphanages. Here their childhood ended.

In the heat and on the coldest winter days, they exercised in the open air: they mastered military skills, learned to handle weapons, and throw a spear.

They had their hair cut bald, they never covered their heads, and they were not required to wear warm clothes either.

The young Spartans slept on hay or reeds, which they had to bring for themselves. Pupils often also had to get food on their own - by robbing neighboring areas. At the same time, getting caught stealing was a shame.

For any offense, prank, or oversight, the boys were severely punished - they were beaten with whips.

This is how the Spartans developed fortitude and perseverance. It was believed that the stricter the education, the better for the young men and the state as a whole.

Education was not valued in Sparta. A warrior should not be smart, but cunning. Must be resourceful, adapted to life and hardships.

The Spartans were taught to speak little and briefly - “laconically”. Nurturing feelings, imagination, teaching the arts - all this was considered a waste of time and a distraction of the warrior from his mission.

At the age of 18, the young man left the orphanage. From that moment on, he did not have to cut his hair or shave his beard, but continued to engage in military exercises. At the age of 20, the Spartan was transferred to a detachment of hierenes (young men).

And although he was already an adult, until the age of 30 he was still under the supervision of educators and improved his skills in military skills.

It is interesting that at this age the Spartans could get married, create their own families, but still did not completely belong to themselves.

One of the principles Spartan upbringing the young men were mentored. It was believed that an experienced husband and warrior was able to teach a young citizen more than official science. Therefore every Spartan mature age kept a boy or young man with him, helping him develop his civil and military valor.

Spartan girls

The upbringing of Spartan girls, as Plutarch wrote, was similar to the upbringing of boys, with the only difference being that they did physical exercise without leaving their parents' home.

The development of body and mental fortitude was important for girls. But at the same time, girls were the personification of purity in Sparta; the attitude of boys and men towards them was respectful, almost chivalrous.

Young men competed for the attention of beauties at gymnastics competitions. From their youth, girls felt like full-fledged members of society, citizens, and took an active part in the affairs of society. Women enjoyed the respect of men because they shared their passion for military affairs, their patriotism and political views.

But despite all their social activity, Spartan women were at all times famous throughout Greece for their homeliness, ability to manage a household and maintain a home.

Sparta and its model of youth education left a big mark on world military affairs. It is believed that Alexander the Great used the principles of discipline of the Spartan army when creating his army. And modern infantry originates from Sparta.

Among the many ancient Greek states, two stood out - Laconia or Laconia (Sparta) and Attica (Athens). At their core, these were antagonistic states with social systems opposing each other.

Sparta of Ancient Greece existed on southern lands Peloponnese from the 9th to the 2nd century BC. e. It is notable for the fact that it was ruled by two kings. They passed on their power by inheritance. However, real administrative power belonged to the elders. They were chosen from among respected Spartans who were at least 50 years old.

Sparta on the map of Greece

It was the council that decided all state affairs. As for the kings, they performed purely military functions, that is, they were commanders of the army. Moreover, when one king went on a campaign, the second remained in the city with part of the soldiers.

An example here would be the king Lycurgus, although it is not known for sure whether he was a king or simply belonged to royal family and had enormous authority. The ancient historians Plutarch and Herodotus wrote that he was the ruler of the state, but did not specify what position this man held.

The activities of Lycurgus dated back to the first half of the 9th century BC. e. It was under him that laws were passed that did not give citizens the opportunity to enrich themselves. Therefore, in Spartan society there was no stratification of property.

All land suitable for plowing was divided into equal plots, which were called clerks. Each family received an allotment. He provided people with barley flour, wine and vegetable oil. According to the legislator, this was quite enough to lead a normal life.

Luxury was relentlessly pursued. Gold and silver coins were even withdrawn from circulation. Crafts and trade were also banned. The sale of agricultural surpluses was prohibited. That is, under Lycurgus, everything was done to prevent people from earning too much.

The main occupation of the Spartan state was considered to be war. It was the conquered peoples who provided the conquerors with everything necessary for life. And on the land plots of the Spartans slaves worked, who were called helots.

The entire society of Sparta was divided into military units. In each of them, joint meals were practiced or sissity. People ate from a common pot and brought food from home. During the meal, the detachment commanders made sure that all portions were eaten. If someone ate poorly and without appetite, then the suspicion arose that the person had eaten heavily somewhere on the side. The offender could be expelled from the detachment or punished with a large fine.

Spartan warriors armed with spears

All the men of Sparta were warriors, and they were taught the art of war from early childhood. It was believed that a mortally wounded warrior should die silently, without even uttering a quiet groan. The Spartan phalanx, bristling with long spears, terrified all the states of Ancient Greece.

Mothers and wives, seeing off their sons and husbands to war, said: “With a shield or on a shield.” This meant that the men were expected to go home either victorious or dead. The bodies of the dead were always carried by comrades on shields. But those who ran away from the battlefield faced universal contempt and shame. Parents, wives, and their own children turned away from them.

It should be noted that the inhabitants of Laconia (Laconia) were never known for their verbosity. They expressed themselves briefly and to the point. It was from these Greek lands that such terms as “laconic speech” and “laconicism” spread.

It must be said that Sparta of Ancient Greece had a very small population. Its population over the centuries has consistently not exceeded 10 thousand people. However, this small number of people kept all the southern and middle lands of the Balkan Peninsula in fear. And such superiority was achieved through cruel customs.

When a boy was born into a family, he was examined by the elders. If the baby turned out to be too frail or sick in appearance, then he was thrown from the cliff onto sharp stones. The corpse of the unfortunate man was immediately eaten by birds of prey.

The customs of the Spartans were extremely cruel

Only healthy and strong children remained alive. Upon reaching the age of 7, boys were taken from their parents and united into small units. Iron discipline reigned in them. Future warriors were taught to endure pain, bravely endure beatings, and unquestioningly obey their mentors.

At times, children were not fed at all, and they had to earn their own food by hunting or stealing. If such a child was caught in someone’s garden, he was severely punished, but not for theft, but for the fact that he was caught.

This barracks life continued until the age of 20. After that young man a plot of land was given, and he had the opportunity to start a family. It should be noted that Spartan girls were also trained in the art of war, but not in such harsh conditions as the boys.

Sunset of Sparta

Although the conquered peoples were afraid of the Spartans, they periodically rebelled against them. And although the conquerors had excellent military training, they were not always victorious.

An example here is the uprising in Messenia in the 7th century BC. e. It was headed by the fearless warrior Aristomenes. Under his leadership, several sensitive defeats were inflicted on the Spartan phalanx.

However, there were traitors in the ranks of the rebels. Thanks to their treason, the army of Aristomenes was defeated, and the fearless warrior himself began guerrilla warfare. One night he made his way to Sparta, entered the main sanctuary and, wanting to shame his enemies before the gods, left on the altar the weapons taken from the Spartan warriors in battle. This shame remained in the memory of people for centuries.

In the 4th century BC. e. Sparta of Ancient Greece began to gradually weaken. Other nations entered the political arena, led by smart and talented commanders. Here we can name Philip of Macedon and his famous son Alexander the Great. The inhabitants of Laconia became completely dependent on these prominent political figures of antiquity.

Then it was the turn of the Roman Republic. In 146 BC. e. The Spartans submitted to Rome. However, formally freedom was preserved, but under the complete control of the Romans. In principle, this date is considered the end of the Spartan state. It has become history, but has been preserved in people’s memory to this day.