PeloPonneseL A K O N I APeloPonneseSIGHTSPeloPonneseS P Ar T AAt the height of their power, Greece’s tough-
est, incorruptible, legendary warriors tri-
umphed over Athens and the rest of Greece
in the Peloponnesian Wars (431–404 BC).
However, the decisive defeat by the Thebans
in the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC was the
beginning of the end for Sparta, which was
followed by successive subjugation by the
Macedonians, Romans, Goths and Slavs.
The town was refounded in AD 1834 on
the orders of King Otto. Mindful of history,
Otto and his court felt that since Athens was
to be rebuilt to reflect its former glory, so too
should Sparta. He didn’t succeed, though a
few ruins attest to its ancient pre-eminence.
Most visitors pass through on their way to
and from the Byzantine glories of Mystras.
1 Sights
oMuseum of the Olive
& Greek Olive Oil MuSEuM
(%27310 89315; http://www.piop.gr; Othonos Amalias
129; adult/concession €3/1.50; h10am-6pm
Wed-Mon) This beautifully designed museum
initiates you into the mysteries of the olive
from its initial appearance in the Mediterra-
nean in 60,000 BC to the present day. Learn
about its immense importance in millen-
nia of Greek life. Immerse yourself in olive
oil’s many uses (cooking, fuel, ritual, per-
fume-making). Check out the magnificent
reconstructions of olive presses in the court-
yard, ranging from prehistoric to Byzan-
tine. Finally, marvel at the minute working
models (press the button!) that demonstrate
changes in pressing technology.Ancient Sparta ruIN
Few buildings dating back to the height of
Sparta’s greatness have been left standing.
Still it’s worthwhile to wander to the north
end of town to see the ruined theatre and the
Sanctuary of Athena Halkioitou against
the backdrop of the snowcapped Taÿgetos
Mountains, as well as the Sanctuary of Ar-
temis Orthia on the northern outskirts of
Sparta. To get here, head to the King Leoni-
das statue that belligerently hefts its sword
and shield at the northern end of Paleolo-
gou. When the Persians attacked Sparta and
told them to lay down their weapons, the
Spartans’ response, immortalised beneath
Leonidas’ feet, was ‘Molon labe’ (Come and
get them). West of here, signs point the way
to the acropolis.GROWING UP SPARTANMaybe you saw the gory but brilliant film 300, imaginatively based on the battle of Ther-
mopylae in 480 BC, one of the most talked about battles in history. Three hundred elite
Spartan soldiers held an entire Persian army (whose force numbered several thousand)
at bay at the pass (‘hot gates’) of Thermopylae (near today’s Lamia). For three days,
wave upon wave of Persian soldiers fell upon their deadly spears and unbridgeable
tortoise-shell formation. What kind of soldiers could display such bravery? Ones raised
in Sparta, where warfare was held to be the only occupation worthy of its men and where
warriors embodied ferocious, self-sacrificing martial supremacy, living (and very often
dying) by the motto ‘return with your shield or on it’.
If you were born male and deemed too weak and feeble to make it to adulthood, you
would be left on the slopes of the Taÿgetos Mountains to die. Passed the first round?
Then at the age of seven, you’d be plucked from the bosom of your family and sent to live
in barracks with other boys, to undergo the military education system known as agoge,
designed to build physical and emotional toughness. You’d be habitually underfed to
encourage you to survive by living off the land and by stealing, but punished harshly if
caught. You’d undergo brutal institutionalised beatings, which you’d be expected to bear
without showing pain. At the age of 12, you’d form a sexual bond with an older mentor,
who’d be responsible for your training. Upon turning 18, you’d become a member of the
army until the age of 30, when you’d finally be granted Spartan citizenship, if you had
proved yourself worthy.
Born a girl? Then you’d be better off than anywhere else in Greece at the time. You
would eat the same food as your brothers, participate in sport and exercise nude. You’d
be well educated and literate, and forbidden to marry until in your early 20s, which would
spare you from teenage pregnancies and miscarriages. Then when you finally did marry,
your husband-to-be would ‘abduct’ you, and you’d have your head shaved and be dressed
in men’s clothing before the marriage could be consummated. (That’d be to make your
husband comfortable, since he wouldn’t have spent much time around women.)