Sparta: Fall of a Warrior Nation

by Philip Matyszak

Universally admired in 479 BC, the Spartans were masters of the Greek world by 402 BC, only for their state to collapse in the next generation. What went wrong? Was the fall of Sparta inevitable? Philip Matyszak examines the political blunders and failures of leadership which combined with unresolved social issues to bring down the nation - even as its warriors remained invincible on the battlefield. The Spartans believed their constitution and society above the changes sweeping their world, and in resisting change, they were eventually overwhelmed by it. Yet this is also a story of defiance, for the Spartans refused to accept their humiliation and - although never more than a tiny and underpopulated city-state - for many years their city exercised influence far beyond its size and population. This is a chronicle of political failure, but also a lesson in how to go down fighting. Even with the Roman legions set to overwhelm their city, the Spartans never gave up. Sparta: Fall of a Warrior Nation tells a seldom-told tale, yet one rich in heroes and villains, epic battles and political skulduggery.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Greece, War, Ancient, Audiobook, Politics

192 pages, Hardcover

Published June 25, 2018

About the author

Philip Matyszak is a British nonfiction author, primarily of historical works relating to ancient Rome. Matyszak has a doctorate in Roman history from St. John's College, Oxford. In addition to being a professional author, he also teaches ancient history for Madingley Hall Institute of Continuing Education, Cambridge University.

Reviews

[Петър Стойков · Rating 3 out of 5]

След като в първата книга ни показа как от обикновена селска община Спарта се издига до лидер на древногръцкия свят, Матишак описва падението на войнската държава, започнало горе долу веднага след възхода й. Ама като казвам веднага, имам предвид същата година.

След битката при Платеа Спарта създава различни съюзи с различни гръцки градове, после с Персия, води различни битки и войни, влиянието и мощта й намаляват, докато накрая по различни причини остава само сянка на предишното си величие.

За съжаление, Матишак не се справя толкова добре, колкото в първата част с описанието на тоя процес - може би защото за по-новото (сравнително де) време на събитията в книгата има повече писмени източници и той се чувства длъжен да ни разкаже за всяка битка и битчица, всяко движение на войски, гостуване на лидери от един град в друг и т.н. което идва дооооста тегаво.

За сметка на това пропуска както общите тенденции и причини за западането на Спарта, както и, доста учудващо, за нейната история след покоряването на всички гръцки земи от Рим - тогава Спарта се превръща в нещо като тематичен атракцион, исторически Дисниленд за богатите от всички страни на Империята, които идват да гледат представления, показващи (митологизираното) минало на Спарта.

Всъщност от точно последния период идват най-фрапиращите описания на спартанското общество, жестокото обучение на децата им, спартанските условия на живот на войниците им и т.н. и е добре да се помни, че това са просто героизирани легенди.

[Lathan Bjornson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book “Sparta: The Fall of A Warrior Nation” is about when Sparta was one of the biggest nations. Spartans were the strongest group of people there were in 402 BC. Spartans fought against the Athens people who were also a large group of people in Greece. The book was talking about when Sparta started to lose all of their men from the war. At the end it fell because there wasn’t any more men for Sparta to fight everyone.

Then after Sparta fell then they weren’t a big fighting nation anymore because there were barely anybody left in the nation because all the men were dying in battle so then there is less and less of Spartans. After losing everyone then they couldn’t fight anymore and then lost their whole nation because they lost all their fighters

This book is very good to I because I like Sparta a lot and it’s fun to learn about. One of the books themes was survival were all the Spartans has to survive all the wars of the other groups. This book was very interesting to learn about how it was when there were Spartans and Athenians. It was good at some parts but then at others it wasn’t that well also. I think that it could be better at some parts of the story by giving more details on what happened. The other theme in this book is family because all the Spartans are like family because there are very few of them to start with so then they basically all know each other.

I really liked this book because Sparta is one of my favorite things to learn about. I just really like culture and I also like that they are a fighting group of people. I highly recommend this book to everyone because what’s so bad about learning about Sparta and how they fell from a top to bottom nation. This book is amazing and I really recommend everyone to read this because the Spartans were a great story.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of ancient history, particularly the Spartan kind, and this book offers a gripping and insightful exploration of one of history's most enigmatic civilizations. In this meticulously researched book, Matyszak delves into the rise and ultimate decline of Sparta, shedding light on the complex factors that shaped its destiny. The book begins by vividly painting a portrait of ancient Sparta, a city-state renowned for its legendary warriors, the Spartans. Matyszak skillfully describes the Spartan society, its unique customs, and its unwavering dedication to military prowess. He debunks popular myths surrounding Sparta, such as the exaggerated tales of the agoge, the brutal training regime for Spartan youths. Instead, he presents a more nuanced and realistic view of Spartan life, highlighting the importance of agriculture, politics, and the role of women in this society. Matyszak's writing ability ably contextualizes Sparta within the broader framework of ancient Greece, as he skillfully explores Sparta's uneasy relationships with other Greek city-states, especially Athens, and the complex web of alliances and rivalries that defined the ancient Greek world. This contextualization provides readers with a deeper understanding of Sparta's place in history and the challenges it faced. As the narrative progresses, Matyszak meticulously traces the decline of Sparta. He examines the impact of the Peloponnesian War, the internal strife within the city-state, and the erosion of its once-legendary military prowess. The author makes a compelling case that Sparta's rigid social and political structure, which had once been its strength, ultimately became a liability as it failed to adapt to changing times. He also makes complex historical concepts and events easy to grasp for both history enthusiasts and casual readers. He combines historical facts with anecdotes and vivid descriptions, making the book an enjoyable and informative read. By dispelling myths and providing a balanced perspective, Matyszak brings the history of Sparta to life in a way that is both educational and entertaining. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in ancient Greece or the fascinating story of Sparta's rise and fall.

[Abel Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taught me so much about Spartans

This book covered the rose and fall of sparta in great detail. Sometimes too much detail but nonetheless valuable information that brought awareness to how and why certain events happened. Non-stop fighting all around, alliances formed and broken, the enemy is now my friend, my friend my future enemy, it was crazy to read how much politics played a big part back in ancient times. Sparta having no skill in it and being very stubborn led to their downfall. I admire how they just wouldn't stay down and kept rising but ultimately they just didn't learn. I really enjoyed this book as it showed Sparta for what it truly was and how it functioned. A great read for anyone who wants to learn about this warrior nation and what lead to their ultimate downfall. It was many events and involved many great powers.

[Macho · Rating 3 out of 5]

The focus here is on military history and ancient Greek geopolitics. Because the historical canon always holds out European history as the most important and ancient Greece as something like the pinnacle of that history, I was interested to learn through this book (although it's not the book's focus) that ancient Greece was in fact essentially just the periphery of the much larger and more powerful Persian Empire, whose highly successful policy was to keep its neighbouring Greek city-states fractured and thus militarily weak. There was a bit of gay stuff in here but far less than I'd have liked for a book on ancient Greece.

[David Cuatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that not only recounts the important battles and other political developments of the late Spartan period, but also examines possible reasons why it fell from power. Sparta's insular organization did not work as well on the world stage as it did when it was just one of many city states. Also, a change in the way land ownership was handled reduced the number of citizens that could train full-time to fight as hoplites. A worthwhile read for anyone interested in this period of history.

[Marijo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too many people idealize Sparta and their warrior spirit. This book paints a more rounded history of the region and how its society sowed its own seeds of destruction through the oppression of its colonies, its political backstabbing of allies, and a system that concentrated more and more wealth and power into fewer and fewer hands. Some people are fond of noting that democracies tend to fail within two to three hundred years; Sparta reminds us that dictatorships and authoritarian governments often fare far worse and have neighbors who delight in bringing the bully down.

[Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read this book has been. I’ve been looking for a book on Sparta for a long time. I learnt a massive amount on their history which I didn’t know before

[Ewan Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Provides a lengthy chronology with some flavour.

[Mike Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and concise book about the legendary city. Fair and balanced, without mythlication.

[Robin Bunbury · Rating 2 out of 5]

It just wasn't the book for me, I'm sorry.
The writing style was boring and it got lost in details. (and then...and then...and then...).
Really a pitty because the subject is interesting and the content itself is informative.
A map of Ancient Greece and a quick time line would have been very helpful - so I made myself a Bookmark.. Because if you don't know the Geography of Ancient Greece by heart it get's exhausting as it jumps from places to places without any explanation.