The Spartan army was the principle ground force of Sparta. It stood at the center of the Spartan state, consisting of citizens trained in the disciplines and honor of a warrior society. Subjected to military drills since early manhood, the … See more

At first, in the archaic period of 700–600 BC, education for both sexes was, as in most Greek states, centred on the arts, with the male citizen population later receiving military education. However, from the 6th century onwards, the military character of the … See more

The Spartans used the same typical hoplite equipment as their other Greek neighbors; the only distinctive Spartan features were the crimson tunic (chitōn) and cloak (himation), … See more

Mycenaean age
The first reference to the Spartans at war is in the Iliad, in which they featured among the other Greek contingents. Like the rest of the See more

Social structure
The Spartans (the "Lacedaemonians") divided themselves into three classes:
• Full citizens, known as the Spartiates proper, or Hómoioi ("equals" or peers), who received a grant of land (kláros or klēros, "lot") for … See more

Tactics
Like the other Greek city-states' armies, the Spartan army was an infantry-based army that fought using the phalanx formation. The Spartans themselves did not introduce any significant changes or tactical innovations in See more

Spartan education
The Spartan public education system, the agoge, trained the mind as well as the body. Spartans were … See more