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The Spartans
An Epic History
Series: Picador Collection
Brief Description
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...
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See moreThe definitive account of the extraordinary people of Sparta, from the world's leading expert.
The definitive account of the extraordinary people of Sparta, from the world's leading expert. Now part of the Picador Collection.
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Description
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, individualism, culture, and society, their great rivals Sparta embodied militarism, totalitarianism, segregation, and brutal repression.
As ruthless as they were self-sacrificing, their devastatingly successful war rituals made the Spartans the ultimate fighting force, epitomized by Thermopylae. While they were slave masters to the Helots for over three centuries, Spartan women, such as Helen of Troy, were free to indulge in education, dance, and sport.
Interspersed with the personal biographies of leading figures and based on thirty years' research, Paul Cartledge's The Spartans tracks the people from 480 to 360 BC, charting Sparta's progression from the Great Power of the Aegean Greek world to its ultimate demise.
Now part of the Picador Collection.
Series: Picador Collection
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Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781035062775
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 24 July 2025
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Picador
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 20.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 224g
Pages: 320
About the Author
Paul Cartledge is widely acknowledged to be the world's leading expert on the subject of Sparta and the Spartans. He is Professor of Greek History at Cambridge University. He has written and edited many works, including Spartan Reflections, and acted as academic consultant on the Channel 4 television series 'The Spartans'.
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