Learn More About

The sites below will help you conduct further research into the topics in Chapter 8.

In Our Time

Find links to programmes from this radio show here:

• Sparta
• Thermopylae

The history of the Spartan system

• Although care should be taken with Wikipedia articles, this one on the history of Sparta is excellent.
• The Ancient History Sourcebook has a good selection of sources under ‘Sparta’.
• Some good images of the sparse remains in Sparta today.

The legacy of Lycurgus

• An e-text of Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus with links and footnotes.

The social structure – Spartiates, perioeci and helots

• The Wikipedia page on the helots is also very good.

Spartan women

• An e-text of Plutarch’s Sayings of Spartan Women.
• Aristotle’s none-too-flattering views about Spartan women.

Spartan government - kings, gerousia, ephors and ecclesia

• A page analysing the Great Rhetra.

Further reading and recommended web sites.

• This British Museum site has a variety of resources on Spartan society.