Paul Cartledge

The complex Spartan tradition has been central to western thinking and remains influential today. Sparta is also one of the handful of ancient Greek cities well enough attested for the historian to attempt a convincing social portrait in the round. Spartan Reflections, whose title is intended to capture both the influence of the Spartan tradition and Sparta's thought-provoking qualities, is...

Our greatest living expert on Sparta - Tom Holland, author of Rubicon The definitive account of the extraordinary people of Sparta. The Spartan legend has inspired and captivated subsequent generations, with evidence of its legacy found in both the Roman and British Empires. The Spartans are our ancestors, every bit as much as the Athenians. But while Athens promoted democracy,...

'An incisive, inspiring and vitally illuminating account of a city which changed the ancient world and which deserves to be remembered by the modern. A masterful book written by a master historian.' - Bettany Hughes, bestselling author of Istanbul and Helen of Troy Continuously inhabited for five millennia, and at one point the most powerful city in Ancient Greece, Thebes...