Sparta by Andrew Bayliss

Sparta – its legendary warriors and steadfast resilience are famous throughout the world as a model for toughness, justice and masculinity. The Spartans’ reputation as fighters is matched only by their mythic code of honour. Their torch has been carried by footballers and politicians, video games and philosophers alike.

But who really were the Spartans? And what was the driving force behind the rise – and dramatic fall – of Sparta?

Sparta traces the story of Ancient Greece’s most iconic city-state, from its humble beginnings as a hamlet in the Peloponnese to its meteoric rise as the foremost military superpower of the Classical world. Andrew Bayliss uncovers the eclectic quirks that set Sparta above its rivals: its famous double monarchy, the harsh methods for raising children as soldiers and the unique role of women in Spartan life.

Sparta was the world’s first superpower and its legacy is still shaping popular culture and politics today. This is the story of its rise and fall.

From warrior queens and the 300 to the Peloponnesian war, a major new history of the world’s first superpower

About the Author: Andrew Bayliss is Associate Professor in Greek History at the University of Birmingham. He has taught and studied in Australia, Greece and the UK, and his published works on ancient Greek history include Oath and State in Ancient Greece, The Spartans and The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction.

30 Sep 2025
 

Sparta: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Superpower by Andrew Bayliss ISBN 9781805227496