Spartanism Program

The feats of the Spartans, the people of the city-state Sparta inhabiting Laconia of the Peloponnese, Ancient Greece have been exaggerated, raised up to preposterous proportions. This is not helped by ancient writers such as Plutarch, who portrayed the Spartans as a complete breed apart, or modern films, books and comics. Yet in some ways the Spartans earned their reputation. They endured the epic battle of Thermopylae in 480BC, the Peloponnesian War from 431-404 BC and although Athens ended up being the city state that left a legacy despite losing the war, the Spartans left an indelible impression. Although the Spartans weren’t demigods, they were tough, resilient and effective, the best fighters of their age. They lived ascetic, disciplined lives, and we will aim to tap into what they have to teach us, to cultivate resilience, discipline and to meet our goals in this day and age. This programme will try to tap into the resilience of Sparta, whilst aiming to separate fact from fiction, arguing that although they have been exaggerated, some aspects of their way of life provides an antidote to many of the ills of today: purposeless, lack of self-confidence and antipathy.