Leonidas and the Kings of Sparta : Mightiest Warriors, Fairest Kingdom

The Spartans have seemingly never gone out of interest, serving as mythic icons who exemplify fearlessness and an unwillingness to give in against impossible odds. Yet most are unaware of the true nature of the Spartan leaders--the fact that the kings maintained their position of power for 600 years by their willingness to compromise, even if it meant giving up some of their power, for example. Organized in a logical and chronological order, "Leonidas and the Kings of Sparta: Mightiest Warriors, Fairest Kingdom" describes the legendary origins of the dual kingship in Sparta, documents the many reigning eras of the kings, and then concludes with the time when the kingship was abolished six centuries later. The book examines the kings' roles in war and battle, in religion, in the social life of the city, and in formulating Spartan policy both at home and abroad. No other book on Sparta has concentrated on describing the role of the kings--and their absolutely essential contributions to Spartan society in general. Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 8 Illustrations, Maps, and Tables......Page 12 Preface......Page 14 Introduction......Page 16 Names and Terms......Page 20 Part I. The Dorian Wars......Page 26 1. By Bus to the “Hollow”......Page 28 2. “Tell the Spartans . . .”......Page 32 3. The Sons of Heracles......Page 38 4. The First Kings of Sparta......Page 42 Part II. The Messenian Wars......Page 46 5. Over the Mountains......Page 48 6. Shoulder to Shoulder......Page 54 7. “Never Retreat”......Page 58 8. Deeds of the Wolf......Page 64 9. The Spartan Way......Page 70 Part III. The Arcadian and Argive Wars......Page 76 10. The Spartan Alliance......Page 78 11. The “Strangers”......Page 86 12. The Accidental King......Page 92 13. The King Who Saved Greece......Page 98 Part IV. The Persian Wars......Page 106 14. The “Greeks”......Page 108 15. Defeat and Victory......Page 114 16. The Battle of Plataea......Page 120 17. The Treason of Pausanias......Page 128 Part V. The Athenian Wars......Page 132 18. The Precarious Entente......Page 134 19. King Archidamos Gives Sound Advice......Page 142 20. The Archidamian War......Page 146 21. War within Peace......Page 156 22. The Decelean War......Page 166 23. The Man Who Would Be King......Page 170 Part VI. The Theban Wars......Page 176 24. The Common King......Page 178 25. “Free and Autonomous”......Page 184 26. Sparta’s Empire......Page 188 27. The Battle of Leuctra......Page 194 28. Sparta at Bay......Page 200 Part VII. The Macedonian Wars......Page 204 29. The Struggle to Survive......Page 206 30. In the Shadow of Great Powers......Page 210 31. The Gentle Reformer......Page 216 32. The Revolutionary......Page 222 33. The Betrayal of Greece......Page 228 34. The Last Kings of Sparta......Page 234 Part VIII. The Roman War......Page 238 35. The Tyrant Who Was a King......Page 240 36. Sparta under the Romans......Page 246 Conclusion......Page 250 Notes......Page 252 Bibliography......Page 266 Index......Page 270 Why have the Spartans continued to exert such a hold on popular imagination? Nearly 2,500 years after King Leonidas led his Spartan warriors at the Battle of Thermopylae, their legend endures, as seen most recently in Frank Miller's hugely successful graphic novel, 300, and the 2007 film incarnation of the same name, which grossed $70 million in its opening weekend. This pivotal history of the kings of Sparta not only describes their critical leadership in war, but also documents the waxing and waning of their social, political, and religious powers in the Spartan state. The Spartans have seemingly never gone out of interest, serving as mythic icons who exemplify fearlessness and an unwillingness to give in against impossible odds. Yet most are unaware of the true nature of the Spartan leaders: the fact that the kings maintained their position of power for 600 years by their willingness to compromise, even if it meant giving up some of their power, for example. Organized in a logical and chronological order, this volume describes the legendary origins of the dual kingship in Sparta, documents the many reigning eras of the kings, and then concludes with the time when the kingship was abolished six centuries later. The book examines the kings' roles in war and battle, in religion, in the social life of the city, and in formulating Spartan policy both at home and abroad. The book concentrates on describing the role of the kings and their absolutely essential contributions to Spartan society in general. -- From publisher Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 8 Illustrations, Maps, and Tables 12 Preface 14 Introduction 16 Names and Terms 20 Part I. The Dorian Wars 26 1. By Bus to the “Hollow” 28 2. “Tell the Spartans . . .” 32 3. The Sons of Heracles 38 4. The First Kings of Sparta 42 Part II. The Messenian Wars 46 5. Over the Mountains 48 6. Shoulder to Shoulder 54 7. “Never Retreat” 58 8. Deeds of the Wolf 64 9. The Spartan Way 70 Part III. The Arcadian and Argive Wars 76 10. The Spartan Alliance 78 11. The “Strangers” 86 12. The Accidental King 92 13. The King Who Saved Greece 98 Part IV. The Persian Wars 106 14. The “Greeks” 108 15. Defeat and Victory 114 16. The Battle of Plataea 120 17. The Treason of Pausanias 128 Part V. The Athenian Wars 132 18. The Precarious Entente 134 19. King Archidamos Gives Sound Advice 142 20. The Archidamian War 146 21. War within Peace 156 22. The Decelean War 166 23. The Man Who Would Be King 170 Part VI. The Theban Wars 176 24. The Common King 178 25. “Free and Autonomous” 184 26. Sparta’s Empire 188 27. The Battle of Leuctra 194 28. Sparta at Bay 200 Part VII. The Macedonian Wars 204 29. The Struggle to Survive 206 30. In the Shadow of Great Powers 210 31. The Gentle Reformer 216 32. The Revolutionary 222 33. The Betrayal of Greece 228 34. The Last Kings of Sparta 234 Part VIII. The Roman War 238 35. The Tyrant Who Was a King 240 36. Sparta under the Romans 246 Conclusion 250 Notes 252 Bibliography 266 Index 270 ISBN:,9780313385988,EISBN:,9780313385995 ABC-CLIO This pivotal history of the kings of Sparta not only describes their critical leadership in war, but also documents the waxing and waning of their social, political, and religious powers in the Spartan state.The Spartans have seemingly never gone out of interest, serving as mythic icons who exemplify fearlessness and an unwillingness to give in against impossible odds. Yet most are unaware of the true nature of the Spartan leaders—the fact that the kings maintained their position of power for 600 years by their willingness to compromise, even if it meant giving up some of their power, for example. Organized in a logical and chronological order, Leonidas and the Kings of Sparta: Mightiest Warriors, Fairest Kingdom describes the legendary origins of the dual kingship in Sparta, documents the many reigning eras of the kings, and then concludes with the time when the kingship was abolished six centuries later. The book examines the kings'roles in war and battle, in religion, in the social life of the city, and in formulating Spartan policy both at home and abroad. No other book on Sparta has concentrated on describing the role of the kings—and their absolutely essential contributions to Spartan society in general. This Pivotal History Of The Kings Of Sparta Not Only Describes Their Critical Leadership In War, But Also Documents The Waxing And Waning Of Their Social, Political, And Religious Powers In The Spartan State. • Numerous Translations By The Author Of Original Sources • Chronology History From The Dorian Invasion (ca. 1000 Bc) To The Last King Of Sparta (mid-2nd Century Bc) • Illustrations Of The Kings Of Sparta, Gods, And Heroes, As Well As Diagrams Of Battles And Family Trees • Maps Of Laconia, The Peloponnesus, And Greece • A Bibliography Containing Ancient And Modern Sources For Sparta