Synopses & Reviews
Ancient polemics on Sparta (by Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, and others) have had a remarkable afterlife in the political and educational thought of Renaissance Italy, the France of the Philosophes, Whig England, and Nazi Germany. This book outlines the little we know of ancient Sparta, describes Greek reaction to the ambiguous institutions of the great rival to democratic Athens, makes a first attempt to follow the subsequent fortunes of the debate, and indicates Sparta's role--over twenty-five centuries--in the intellectual history of Europe.
Review
"Overwhelming in terms of breadth of scholarship and clarity of exposition...a fitting compliment to that tradition of excellence which ancient Sparta demanded of her citizen-soldiers."--Journal of Modern History
"A fully-fledged portrait, and an excellent one at that."--Classical Outlook
"In addition to being broad in scope, this book excels in individual emphasis. Readers will be surprised to learn how deeply indebted figures like Machiavelli, Calvin, and Rousseau are to the Spartan tradition. This is intellectual history at its best."--Library Journal