The spartans get really good press in our ancient services. And part of the reason, a is whose writing are ancient sources. Ah, spartans were uniformly arrogant and violent. It was a product of the training that they underwent,. This rearing system made them awful diplomats, relatively uncreative strategists. He precipitates the war that breaks the back of spartan power by punching the representative of thebes over an insult.
Historian Bret Devereaux of the University of North Carolina talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about our understanding of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Devereaux highlights the gap between the reality of Greece and Rome and how they're portrayed in popular culture. The conversation focuses on the diversity of ancient Rome and the military prowess of Sparta.