Publisher's Synopsis
The complex Spartan tradition has been central to western thinking since antiquity. Images or myths of ancient Sparta are still exceptionally influential today. Saprta 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 a collection of thirteen essays, all either new or revised for publication in book form. Following a general introduction the book is divided into three thematic sections, on "Polity, Politics and Political Thought"; "Society, Economy and Warfare"; and "The Mirage Re-Viewed".
