The Great Conversation

"The city of Sparta came to embody the ideal of the hoplite polis although it was unusual in several ways."

( Greek Civillization: Hellas and Hellenism, Page 64)

Depending on how you look at this quote, you may have a variety of ways to interpret it. If you've seen the movie 300 then you probably understand the way its supposed to be understood. These people, having strong militaristic focuses while retaining equality amongst their citizens, were a fear of all other Greek polis's. Aside from the battlefield, they dominated the olypmics and uniquely had the most privlidged women in Greece. Obviously, these people did something right: is it that they were more community based than other polis's? Probably.

The text also mentions that the Spartan people supported strong conservative values. In the long run, this way of life is probably why these people died out since staying with traditions has no chance against evolving technology and tactics. However, while they lasted, they accomplished many feats and had an impressive reputation. This factor allows us to say that there are benifits to retaining the past rather than focus on the future. Their way of life may have sucked but it certainly got them somewhere.

Compared to other city-states, like Athens, for example, had nowhere near the same equality sense that Sparta had. Spartan boys as young as seven began their training in groups known as packs. Even today, modern militaries around the world emulate this tactically benificial component to strengthen the bonds between the peers they fight alongside with, although they don't force seven-year olds into service. If Athens had this policy with its people, surely Greece would've been a world power. The downside to that is that democracy may never have surfaced.

Spartans were a dominant race amongst equals and it was their conservative views and discipline that allowed them to become who we know them as today. They certainly represented the ideals of a Greek polis and that is likely a factor when considering their high standing above the other polis's of the time.