Bonus Episode – Helots, Spartan Women, and Historical Fiction
In this bonus episode Sebastian responds to listener questions and comments about the Spartan series. He gets a chance to give some more details about the Helots and Spartan women. He also muses at length about the role of historical fiction. (more…)
Episode #227- What is the Spartan Mirage? (Part III)
The famous Battle of Thermopylae forms the centerpiece of the Spartan Mirage. Legend has it that a tiny force of 300 Spartans took on over two million Persians and managed to hold them off for a remarkable four days. The Spartan sacrifice has been credited with saving Greece and paving the way to the ultimate Greek victory over the invaders. While it’s true that the Spartans made a stand at Thermopylae, so too did thousands of other Greeks whose contributions have been edited out of the story. Almost everything about this famous showdown has been exaggerated and distorted. Who were the real heroes of Thermopylae? (more…)
Episode #226- What is the Spartan Mirage? (Part II)
Did you know that the most famous Spartan poet may not have been from Sparta? He also may not have written many of the poems that bear his name. This is yet another example of the weird collection of misconceptions known as the “Spartan Mirage” that have shaped the popular understanding of the ancient Greek city. According to some ancient sources the Spartans were incorruptible, never took bribes, and equally divided their land among the elite Spartiates. Is any of that true? What about the Spartan’s famed educational system? Should we believe tales of Spartan youths fighting through an oppressively brutal childhood warrior training? (more…)
Episode #225 – What is the Spartan Mirage? (Part I)
The ancient Spartans are one of the most idealized cultures from classical Greece. They have been remembered as unbeatable super-soldiers whose entire society was geared towards war. Groups from across the modern political spectrum have looked to the Peloponnesian city-state as an inspiration and historical example. However, starting in the 1930’s historians started to question much of the received wisdom about the Spartans. Some even argued that the popular understanding of the city was deeply influenced by a so-called “Spartan Mirage.” Is everything we know about the Spartans little more than a collection of historical myths? (more…)
