Sparta: History of the City-State in Ancient Greece

Nestled in ancient Greece's Laconia, Sparta, originally named Lacedaemon in antiquity, thrived as a city-state. Positioned along the Eurotas River's banks in Laconia, within the southeastern Peloponnese, Sparta ascended to become the most formidable land force in ancient Greece around 650 BC.

Amidst the Greco-Persian Wars, Sparta claimed its status as the foremost power in the unified Greek military, rivaled only by the burgeoning naval might of Athens.

Throughout the Peloponnesian War, spann...