In this episode I look at how the Spartan soldier fared in battle. What advantages had they been given through the agoge and syssitia? What was hoplite battle like and how good were the Spartans? I also look at a couple of Plutarch's sayings about the Spartans in the context of war and weigh up whether they were just a later invention or if there was something more to them.
Find me on X, Instagram, Bluesky and TikTok as ancientblogger (see links below). There's my AncientBlogger YouTube channel and the Ancient History Hound subreddit. Come say hello (you can even go full old school and email me on ancientblogger@hotmail.com).
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Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).
Reading list and sources used
Bardunias, P. Storm of spears & press of shields
Bardunias, P & Eugene Ray Jnr, F. Hoplites at War
Cartledge, P. The Spartans
Cole, M. The Bronze Lie
Echeverrrai, F. Hoplite and Phalanx in archaic and Classical Greece a reassessment
Taktike Techne – the neglected element in classical 'hoplite battles'
Rusch, SM. Sparta at War
Special shoutout to the excellent BadAncient website,the In Our Time Sparta episode and the Sparta episodes on The Ancients podcast.
