The Spartans were the most disciplined, relentless, and aggressive soldiers in antiquity. They were famous throughout ancient Greece for their cruelty, brutality, courage, ruthlessness, and harsh lifestyle. From birth to death, Spartan men were groomed and trained to master the art and science of warfare. Only the healthiest and strongest boys survived to adulthood because sick Spartan male babies were left to die on a cold unforgiving mountain.

A Spartan soldier was made not born

The Spartan city-state lay in Peloponnese in southern Greece. In the late eighth century BCE, Sparta conquered its neighbors, the Messenians, before enslaving them, forming a military state. All Spartan men dedicated themselves to the conduct and prosecution of Greek hoplite warfare. Seven-year old boys were taken from their parents to begin military training and education. The boys lived together, practicing wrestling, boxing, fighting, weapons usage, and hunting. To harden the boys, the Spartan teachers gave them little food and clothing, and the boys had to endure physical pain caused by violent whippings. Teamwork was essential and the Spartans practised this cooperation with musical exercise that served as drill routines.

A Spartan’s Dangerous Way of Life

According to legend, a young Spartan boy captured a fox, intending to kill and eat the animal. However, the boy noticed some soldiers approaching him, and hid the vicious little animal beneath his clothing. When he was confronted by the soldiers, he allowed the fox to chew into his stomach rather than show pain or let the fox go. The boy died from his injuries because this was the Spartan way of life. A Spartan soldier would rather die in battle than retreat from the enemy. It is said mothers waved good-bye to their sons as they left for combat, saying to their sons return home either “with their shields or on them.” In other words, return home as victors, or as dead men.

Spartan Military Might

The Spartans greatest season of victory arrived in the early fifth century BCE, when they fought a massive invading Persian Army. The Greek city-states, led by Spartan, joined forces to defend their land. In 480 BCE, a courageous stand by the celebrated Spartan King Leonidas and his 300 Spartan soldiers at the Battle of Thermopylae delayed the Persian Army long enough for other Greek hoplites to retreat safely to fight another day. In 479 BCE, at the Battle of Plataea in central Greece, the Spartan soldiers and their allies, under the brilliant tactician general Pausanias defeated another gigantic Persian Army. This military defeat concluded Persia’s ambitions to conquer Greece.

From 431 to 404 BCE, Sparta fought the Peloponnesian War against Athens and eventually conquered the Athenians. However, during 371 BCE, following the Spartan defeat at the hands of the Theban Greek city-state, Sparta never regained the power or recaptured the menacing aura it once had because it was suffering from a shortage of manpower. Too few males were reaching adulthood because of the many wars being fought along with the brutally of the Spartan military education and training system.

Spartan Hoplites and Phalanxes

A Spartan hoplite was well-armed, with a bronze helmet, body armor, and greaves on his legs. His primary weapon was a 2.5 meter long spear, which was a very proficient and lethal weapon when employed in a tightly pack formation known as the Greek phalanx. About eight lines of men formed a phalanx. The

first few rows of men held their spears pointing horizontally. The next row had lowered spears for when gaps appeared in front of them. The large round shield protected most of the hoplite’s body and the right side of the next man. When commanded to attack the enemy, a musician played a pipe to keep the hoplites in step. When they approached the enemy lines, their pace accelerated until impact. The front rows of the Spartan phalanx were pushed forward by the weight of those men behind them. When the force of their attack failed to break the enemy, the Spartan hoplites used their swords for close-quarter combat.

Related Sources: Battles; R.G. Grant; 2010. The Book of War; Dwight Jon Zimmerman; 2008. The Book of Weapons; Dwight Jon Zimmerman; 2009. Warrior; R. G. Grant; 2010. Weapon; Sunita Gahit and Sharon Spencer; 2010.