Originally posted by The LION will ROAR
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One can say the Spartan army was perhaps the most well trained army in the ancient Greek world; but whilst Athens controlled the sea they were unable to effectively use it
Prior to this though, the Athenians had defeated the Spartan 'navy' many times, and being outnumbered very badly too.
Also, would just like to add that the Spartan army marched yearly on Athens, but the coward Athenians would stay behind their walls, refusing to be men, and meet the Spartans face to face. The Spartans would shout insults at them, pillage the attic countyside till their supplies ran out, and then march back home till next year.
The Spartans weren't warriors, they were proper soldiers, which was one reason they were so formidable. But their combat record included many losses and never forget the real reason for Spartan militarism was to hold down the Helots at home; the Spartan army was kind of a mixture of the Gestapo, Einsatzgruppen and the Waffen SS.
The reason for this was the Spartan law itself. It was against the law to retreat or surrender. Many of these losses could have been avoided if it wasnt for this.
I would recommend reading the 'laws of Lycurgus' for anyone interested in ancient military tactics.
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