The Spartans
Short History Of...
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The Spartan Principle of Self-Restraint
What we're dealing with here is the standard ancient Greek practice of pedarasty, which in my teaching I tend to refer to as a homoerotic relationship. It's not really appropriate to use the word homosexual to describe this relationship because that's a very modern label for an ancient practice that's quite different. In many ways, the messages we get from our primary sources are about the Spartan men resisting the temptation that the boys provide for them. This self-denial is a crucial Spartan principle.
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