Sparta: Unfit for Empire

by Godfrey Hutchinson

The end of the Peloponnesian War saw Sparta emerge as the dominant power in the Greek world. Had she used this position wisely her hegemony might have been secure. As it was, she embarked on actions that her former allies, Thebes and Corinth, refused to support. The rise of Thebes as a threatening power to Sparta’s control of Greece was largely the result of the brilliant exploits of Epaminondas and Pelopidas whose obvious examination of Spartan tactics allowed them to provide counters to them.

While noting the political issues, Godfrey Hutchinson’s focus is upon the strategic and tactical elements of warfare in a period almost wholly coinciding with the reign of the brilliant commander, Agesilaos, one of the joint kings of Sparta, who, astonishingly, campaigned successfully into his eighties.

Genres: History, Ancient History

436 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2014

Reviews

[Escapist_worm _____________________________Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sparta unfit for empire is a pretty good book sometimes it tell you random shit that doesht connect to the title of the book for example they tell you that some random dude died in the batlle of nemeia and they put a memorial for him by the atheneian tribes, wich is kinda stupid because he only fought the spartans and died wich is kinda pretty normal if your fighting the spartans (you practicly have a 30% percent of surviving agaisnt the spartans) godfrey hutchinson is a pretty good auther he makes alot more books that you should realy read. The great part about this book is that there is a visualization of the tactis that are used for the battles in the book wich is great for people who cant see what they read. Over all pretty good book

[Mick Maye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sparta excellent book

This is an excellent which follows the decline of Sparta after the Peloponnesus war. The choices that Sparta had and the steady decline of its manpower.