On Sparta

by Plutarch (Author); Talbert, Richard J. A. (Translator); Talbert, Richard J. A. (Introduction by)

• ISBN13: 9780140449433
• ISBN10: 0140449434
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-12-27
• Publisher: Penguin Classics

Summary

Plutarch's vivid and engaging portraits of the Spartans and their customs are a major source of our knowledge about the rise and fall of this remarkable Greek city-state between the sixth and third centuries BC. Through his Lives of Sparta's leaders and his recording of memorable Spartan Sayings he depicts a people who lived frugally and mastered their emotions in all aspects of life, who also disposed of unhealthy babies in a deep chasm, introduced a gruelling regime of military training for boys, and treated their serfs brutally. Rich in anecdote and detail, Plutarch's writing brings to life the personalities and achievements of Sparta with unparalleled flair and humanity.

Author Biography

Plutarch (c. 50-ûc. 120 AD) was a writer and philosopher born in central Greece.
Richard J. A Talbert is professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Christopher Pelling is professor of classics at Oxford University and a fellow of Christ Church.

Table of Contents

Penguin Plutarch	vii
Christopher Pelling
Acknowledgements	xi
Preface to the Original Edition	xiii
Preface to the Expanded Edition	xv
Introduction	xvii
Further Reading	xxxvii
A Note on the Texts	xl
Lives
Lycurgus	3	(36)
Agesilaus	39	(42)
Agis	81	(17)
Cleomenes	98	(40)
Sayings
Sayings of Spartans	138	(45)
Sayings of Spartan Women	183	(11)
APPENDIX
Xenophon, Spartan Society	194	(18)
Spartan Kings to 222 BC	212	(3)
Maps: Sparta	215	(4)
The Aegean World	216	(1)
The Peloponnese	217	(1)
The Eastern Mediterranean	218	(1)
Glossary of Spartan Terms	219	(3)
Notes	222	(32)
Index	254