The excitingly complex Spartan tradition holds a central place in Western political thought from antiquity, while the influence of the images and myths of ancient Sparta remains remarkably timeless.

For this reason, Sparta is an inexhaustible source of cultural reference and inspiration. Fortunately, the erroneous association of Sparta with authoritarian regimes has largely diminished, although the British National Party, like the French National Front, still draws their racist positions from the completely mistaken image they themselves attribute to Sparta.

This book thoroughly analyzes both the influence of the Spartan tradition in the Greek world and beyond, as well as the remarkable virtues of Sparta that have unjustly been overshadowed by Athens.

Over the past twenty-five years, Paul Cartledge, a professor of Greek History at the University of Cambridge, has established himself as the leading international authority on ancient Sparta and the Spartan tradition.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]