Spartan Reflections

by Paul Cartledge

The complex and distinctive Spartan tradition has been a prominent theme in western thinking from antiquity to today. Sparta is also one of a handful of ancient Greek cities with enough existing evidence for historians to create a realistic social portrait. Over the past quarter-century Paul Cartledge has established himself as the leading international authority on ancient Sparta. Spartan Reflections is a superb collection of his essays―two are published here for the first time, and the rest, often difficult to locate, have been revised and updated for publication in book form. Giving us a real sense of what Sparta was like as a culture, these essays constitute a fascinating introduction to and overview of ancient Spartan history and its reception. This collection, unique in breadth and scope, will be an essential source for anyone interested in this idiosyncratic society.

Cartledge brings us up to date on what is known about the most important and intriguing aspects of its military development, questions of gender and sexuality, and the difficult problem of artistic and literary aspects of Sparta. We learn about the institutions that distinguished Sparta from other city-states, including its religion, education process, degree of literacy, secret service, unusual system of servitude, and institutionalized pederasty. Throughout, Cartledge also makes important comparisons with Athens, helping us grasp what is really striking about Sparta.

Cartledge's writing is clear and engaging as he draws from myriad sources both ancient and modern, as well as from political and cultural theory. These essays, together with their magisterial bibliography, demonstrate his remarkable scholarly and intellectual range. Spartan Reflections will be an important source on the most significant issues in Sparta scholarship today as well as a fascinating look at this culture for general readers.

A Selection of the History Book Club

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Philosophy, Greece, Classical Studies

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Paul Anthony Cartledge is the 1st A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at Cambridge University, having previously held a personal chair in Greek History at Cambridge. He was educated at St Paul's School & New College, Oxford where he took his 1st degree & completed his doctoral thesis in Spartan archaeology in 1975 under Prof. Sir John Boardman. After a period at the University of Warwick he moved in 10/79 to Cambridge University where he's a fellow of Clare College.
He's a world expert on Athens & Sparta in the Classical Age & has been described as a Laconophile. He was chief historical consultant for the BBC TV series The Greeks & the Channel 4 series The Spartans, presented by Bettany Hughes. He's also a holder of the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour & an Honorary Citizen of modern Sparta. Besides the Leventis Professorship, he holds a visiting Global Distinguished Professorship at New York University, funded by the Greek Parliament.

Reviews

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of the author's essays on ancient Sparta and the Spartans covering just about every aspect of Spartan culture. To a non-academic like me they present a variety of interest levels. Part 2: Polity, Politics and Political Thought, trudges its way through some fairly dense details which I have to admit did little to draw my attention - apart from "Literacy in the Spartan Oligarchy" which fed my fascination of how widespread was literacy in the ancient world and how far it extended beyond the ruling elite and any scribes or advisers they employed.

On the other hand Part 3: Society, Economy and Warfare was fascinating, with essays on Spartan education and the presence, or utility, of pederasty. At times the author made Lakonia seem like one large British public school - for the boys. Lousy food, vigorous and aggressive physical exercise, and the near certainty of being sodomized at regular intervals. His essay on Spartan wives, actually a paper delivered before the Oxford Philological Society, comes across as being more awkward. A male academic speaking to an audience of dour, middle-aged gentlemen about the experience of women in a militaristic and paternalistic society is always likely to be a struggle. Sadly he kicks off discussing the meaning of the terms sexist and sex-kitten and it is an uphill task for him to reach safer and drier historical ground.

That is followed by an interesting and peculiar essay on slavery in Sparta and Classical Greece with references to the works of Eugene Genovese and comparisons to slavery in America. It is a pity he has to bring in the derogatory term "Sambo" to describe a slave labourer, the overall sense of the essay is well worth reading and well meant. The collection closes with a somewhat playful essay on Oscar Wilde the classicist and the origin of the name of Dorian Gray. The Spartans were part of the Dorian language group as well as furnishing Wilde with associations between adult and younger males. Was Dorian Gray Wilde's hidden admission of his own sexual tastes?

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I was expecting more...reflection. It's a good, solid collection and full of important information on Spartan culture and politics with some analysis, but not really. It's fine. Definitely better than The Spartans.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about a hundred times better than the book ("Spartans")he wrote for PBS.

[Jenn Phizacklea · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the Regional History of Lakonia, this book is full of interesting information for the academic enthusiast of Sparta.

There are many carefully argued essays on a variety of subjects related to the lives of the Spartans during the classical period, and I found so much to think about and explore here.

Cartledge’s writing style is honestly very much my cup of tea; easy to read but full of detail.

[AnnaRae Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little confusing but still help with paper :)