The Spartan Myth

[Mister D]

Found the passage, the stuff of legends!



https://socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/e...ncientCity.pdf (.PDF)

That's from Herodotus history of the Greco-Persian wars. Interesting. I suspect there's some dramatic license here but I can't say for sure.

[Chris]

That's from Herodotus history of the Greco-Persian wars. Interesting. I suspect there's some dramatic license here but I can't say for sure.

The video says Herodotus was biased and told the story long after the myth of the 300 has been established.

[Mister D]

The video says Herodotus was biased and told the story long after the myth of the 300 has been established.

He's not exactly reliable in all matters and I can see him repeating a story he heard about Spartan piety or religiousity but who knows for sure. I don't doubt sacrifices were offered prior to battle.

[MisterVeritis]

Found the passage, the stuff of legends!


https://socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/e...ncientCity.pdf (.PDF)

:-)

My youngest daughter started her Ph.D. program at Mcmaster.

[Captdon]

Spartans were a bunch of freaks and pedo's. Creepy, shameful time period in history.

Like liberals today?

[mamooth]

I prefer to believe what Ive been told my entire life...because whats the difference at this point SPARTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the movies, I have learned how Spartans wore no armor other than helmet and shield. Instead of body armor, they wore only cape and speedo, the better to show off their oiled six-packs.

That was one seriously gay movie, gay butch gym queen Greeks vs. gay bejeweled bar-queen Persians. It was one massive gay vs. gay battle.

[Lummy]

The "shameful times" are now. Things we do today would not have been accepted by the ancients either.
Greece was a spearpoint of western civilization and like all things tied to any form of western civilization they are under attack now by socialist and communists. We are all, to some extent...Greeks.

Excellent points.

[Lummy]

OP is revisionist history.

-- So Spartans were mercenaries that also warred against Greeks when paid by Persians. Uh-huh.

-- So Sparta BC was not renown for its warriors but rather for its women, and Greeks were forced to swear to following wherever Spartans lead. Sounds like a pack of dogs.


So now this guy comes along who happens to know everything of import that there is to know about Sparta. Uh-huh, right. He makes it sound like a defining characteristic of Spartans was that they were liars, and everything we think we know about Spartans is wrong, yet they had admirable qualities for which they are unknown, except by this guy. Uh-huh, right.

I bailed at 10:00, having seen no explanation for these bizarre discrepancies. He indicates that Spartans were more interested in how future generations would remember them than anything timely, and that is just silly, IMHO. I call BS, based on nothing more than the content of the clip, which is not believable to me.

[Mister D]

OP is revisionist history.

-- So Spartans were mercenaries that also warred against Greeks when paid by Persians. Uh-huh.

-- So Sparta BC was not renown for its warriors but rather for its women, and Greeks were forced to swear to following wherever Spartans lead. Sounds like a pack of dogs.


So now this guy comes along who happens to know everything of import that there is to know about Sparta. Uh-huh, right. He makes it sound like a defining characteristic of Spartans was that they were liars, and everything we think we know about Spartans is wrong, yet they had admirable qualities for which they are unknown, except by this guy. Uh-huh, right.

I bailed at 10:00, having seen no explanation for these bizarre discrepancies. He indicates that Spartans were more interested in how future generations would remember them than anything timely, and that is just silly, IMHO. I call BS, based on nothing more than the content of the clip, which is not believable to me.

History is constantly revised.

--Many Greeks were mercenaries and many served under Persian employers but I'm not sure what you're talking about.

--What?

Does anyone have a serious critique of the OP's argument?

[Lummy]

History is constantly revised.

--Many Greeks were mercenaries and many served under Persian employers but I'm not sure what you're talking about.

--What?

Sorry, you'll have to be a lot more specific than just "What?", a question even I could ask.

Does anyone have a serious critique of the OP's argument?

In other words, you got nothin'. It's okay, no need to get all snarky about it.