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023 THIS IS SPARTA

The History of Ancient Greece

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The History of the Spartan Kingship

There is only one instance on a historical record in which the Spartans adopted a policy in foreign affairs that was opposed by a king. Herodotus writes, the Spartans have given to the kings these rights to wage war against any land that they wished and any Spartan who opposes this is liable to be put under a curse. Another constitutional change to the kingship occurred after Cleomines and Demaratus engaged in a heated argument, over strategy shortly before battle,. This led to the abandonment of the Spartan invasion of Athens at the end of the 6th century BC.

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