Leonidas and the Kings of Sparta: Mightiest Warriors, Fairest Kingdom

(Hardback)

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This pivotal history of the kings of Sparta not only describes their critical leadership in war, but also documents the waxing and waning of their social, political, and religious powers in the Spartan state. The Spartans have seemingly never gone out of interest, serving as mythic icons who exemplify fearlessness and an unwillingness to give in against impossible odds. Yet most are unaware of the true nature of the Spartan leadersthe fact that the kings maintained their position of power for 600 years by their willingness to compromise, even if it meant giving up some of their power, for example. Organized in a logical and chronological order, Leonidas and the Kings of Sparta: Mightiest Warriors, Fairest Kingdom describes the legendary origins of the dual kingship in Sparta, documents the many reigning eras of the kings, and then concludes with the time when the kingship was abolished six centuries later. The book examines the kings' roles in war and battle, in religion, in the social life of the city, and in formulating Spartan policy both at home and abroad. No other book on Sparta has concentrated on describing the role of the kingsand their absolutely essential contributions to Spartan society in general.

Reviews

Writing entertaining yet scholarly works on ancient history requires expertise, eloquence, and a dash of elegance. With this latest book, renowned scholar of ancient Sparta Bradford (Oklahoma) demonstrates all three. . . . It is a tale not to be missed. * Choice *

Author Bio

Alfred S. Bradford, PhD, is the John Saxon Chair of Ancient History at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK.