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Product Details
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Publisher's Summary
The Spartans of ancient Greece were a powerful and unique people, radically different from any civilization before or since. A society of warrior-heroes, they were living exemplars of self-sacrifice, community endeavor, and achievement against all odds, qualities that today signify the ultimate in heroism. Scholars even believe that Thomas More had Sparta specifically in mind when he coined the term "Utopia".
Paul Cartledge, widely considered the world's leading expert on Sparta, engagingly examines the rise and fall of this singular society. In a narrative that resounds with the battle cries of the ancient Greeks, he takes a compelling look at the many illustrious Spartan figures from the worlds of history and legend, including Lycurgus, Lysander, King Leonidas, and Helen of Troy and Sparta.
©2002, 2003 Paul Cartledge; (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.
What the Critics Say
"Engaging...Cartledge cloaks his erudition with an ease and enthusiasm." (Booklist)
"A fine overview of the rise and fall of a singular culture, spiced with anecdotes, quotations, brisk summary, and real insight." (Seattle Times)
"Remarkable...Cartledge's crystalline prose, his vivacious storytelling and his lucid historical insights combine here to provide a first-rate history of the Spartans." (Publishers Weekly)
From AudioFile
In many ways, John Lee's cool, crisp delivery matches Paul Cartledge's scholarship quite well. Cartledge is meticulous and is always careful to differentiate between knowledge, conjecture, bias, and myth in his discussion of the complicated warriors of ancient Sparta. What's more, Lee can create nuances in delivery, allowing listeners to distinguish among bits of information that are actually comparatively dull (such as population statistics or facts of coinage). In that the audio version may be superior to the print version. However, Lee's delivery is at odds with some of the material. Cartledge does not shrink from mentioning some of the brutal and distasteful acts the Spartans engaged in, and in those sections Lee's civilized, melodious voice seems incongruous. (c) AudioFile 2008
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