Sparta [Hardcover]

Michael Whitby (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0415939569 | ISBN-13: 978-0415939560

This volume introduces the reader to every important aspect of the society of Sparta, the dominant power in southern Greece from the seventh century B.C. and the great rival of Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries. Michael Whitby presents essays on key aspects of Spartan history and society, by some of the leading classicists in the world, such as Paul Cartledge, Anton Powell, and Stephen Hodkinson.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Academics and students alike will welcome this addition to the useful Edinburgh Readings on the Ancient World series ! as an introductory reader for the advanced study of Sparta, it is difficult to see how [the] book could be bettered. Academics and students alike will welcome this addition to the useful Edinburgh Readings on the Ancient World series ! as an introductory reader for the advanced study of Sparta, it is difficult to see how [the] book could be bettered. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Michael Whitby studied Classics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. After several years at St Andrews, where he became Professor of Ancient History, he was appointed Professor of Classics and Ancient History at Warwick University in 1995. He is co-editor of Classical Review, Cambridge Ancient History XIV, and the forthcoming Cambridge History of Ancient Warfare. His publications include Theophylact Simocatta (OUP); The Emperor Maurice and his Historian (OUP); and Evagrius Scholasticus (LUP). --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (November 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415939569
• ISBN-13: 978-0415939560
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,924,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Behold the Spartans!, November 30, 2003

By 

D. Roberts "Hadrian12" (Battle Creek, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Sparta (Paperback)

If classical history is your interest, this is a book you need to check out. It covers a broad array of topics concerning the ancient Spartans, from their emergence onto the world-historical stage to their ultimate decline at the Battle of Leuctria in 371BCE. Along the way we learn about their customs, the male educational system (the Agoge), their economic base, the subjection of the Helots, their relations with other Greek states and much more.

The present book is a collection of essays that cover all of these topics and more. The authors are among the foremost scholars of ancient Sparta in the world. The conglomerate of historians include Paul Cartledge, G.E.M. de Ste Croix and A. Andrewes, among others.

While the book is basically written for the novice and serious classical history buff alike, it would nonetheless be prudent to have some degree of familiarity with the Spartans prior to turning the front cover. Those persons who pick this up without any prior knowledge of Spartan history will be apt to get lost.

This book is highly recommended for people who have a basic understanding of Laconian history. You won't find a better collection of essays on the Spartans anywhere else; of that much I am certain.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE NEXT STEP, November 11, 2007

By 

Kenneth Sohl "[e-mail]" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Sparta (Paperback)

This book is a collection of essays by several experts on Sparta covering all the major aspects of their culture. Those used to studying such books may be jaded by the number of them that seem to serve no other purpose than to give the various contributors a place to hear themselves talk while adding little to the reader's knowledge as they verbalize vague thought processes that lead to theories on relatively insignificant matters. Not so this one.

Laid out in a logical progression, the various essays provide the "meat-and-potatos" of Spartanology including coverage of land ownership, sexuality, perioicoi, reliability of early spartan history, Sparta's decline, etc. Also, the contributors have mostly written their articles in an accessible fashion.

Like the previous reviewer said, this book may require some knowledge of Sparta, and Paul Cartledge's "the Spartans" makes the perfect introduction to this volume, almost like 2 halves makiing a whole.

Michael Whitby's "Sparta", better than any other collection on Sparta I've read, should be required reading for the ancient greekophile seeking info on the Spartans.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Resource for the Serious Student of Sparta, October 31, 2008

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sparta (Hardcover)

Sparta was compiled by Michael Whitby as a reader for college students. It follows the familiar academic pattern of a brief topic introduction followed by relevant essays.

Who should NOT consider reading this book?

Readers of "popular" histories are likely to find this material dry. Indeed "Sparta" doesn't even have a cohesive narrative story.

The book will also likely not satisfy readers looking for THE ANSWER to any particular question. The approach is academic, which means that frequently you'll be presented with contradictory evidence, various researchers' opinions, and then the current author's attempt to adjudicating the "facts". The reader can expect a lot of conversation about uncertainty, with discussions of why this or that authoritative source bears listening to. Arguments will be along the lines of: XXX says this about how Herodotus may have misunderstood or misrepresented the term YYY. With a discussion following of how this affects the interpretation of the inheritance laws, or some such similar topic.

Who should consider reading this book?

This book should appeal to people who have an interest in one of the selected topics (see Table of Contents). The reader who will be best served by the book will have a broad (but not necessarily in-depth) background in ancient Greek history, politics and literary sources. Which is not to say that you have to be an expert. I certainly am not a classicist and I enjoyed the articles.

Considerations and Summary :::
If you are looking for an introduction to Sparta and things Grecian, continue on with your search. "Sparta" is not a book for novices. You don't need to know any ancient Greek, but you aren't going to get much from this volume unless you already have a basic grasp of Greek sources and history.

In this book, the authors deal with problems of evidence. How to evaluate and weigh historical records. They adjudicate facts and address the problems inherent in historical evidence.

A reader, once they engage the material, will certainly emerge not only better educated about Sparta, but in how a historian works and thinks. And overall, I would have no trouble recommending this book to others as long as they know that it's an academic tome.

Pam T.
mom and reviewer at PageInHistory .com