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In ancient Greece, violent internal[br]conflict between bordering neighbors

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and war with foreign invaders[br]was a way of life,

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and Greeks were considered[br]premier warriors.

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Most Greek city-states surrounded[br]themselves with massive defensive walls

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for added protection.

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Sparta in its prime was a different story,

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finding walls unnecessary

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when it had an army of the most feared[br]warriors in the ancient world.

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So what was Sparta doing differently[br]than everyone else

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to produce such fierce soldiers?

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To answer that question, we turn to[br]the written accounts of that time.

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There are no surviving written accounts[br]from Spartans themselves,

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as it was forbidden for Spartans[br]to keep records,

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so we have to rely on those of[br]non-Spartan ancient historians,

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like Herodotus, Thucydides,[br]and Plutarch.

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These stories may be embellished

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and depict Sparta [br]at the apex of its power,

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so take them with a grain of salt.

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For Spartans, the purpose for their[br]existence was simple:

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to serve Sparta.

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On the day of their birth,

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elder Spartan leaders examined[br]every newborn.

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The strong healthy babies were considered[br]capable of fulfilling this purpose,

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and the others may have been left[br]on Mount Taygetus to die.

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Every Spartan, boy or girl,[br]was expected to be physically strong,

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mentally sharp,

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and emotionally resilient.

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And it was their absolute duty[br]to defend and promote Sparta at all costs.

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So in the first years of their lives,

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children were raised to understand that[br]their loyalty belonged first to Sparta,

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and then to family.

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This mindset probably made it easier[br]for the Spartan boys,

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who upon turning seven,[br]were sent to the agoge,

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a place with one main purpose:

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to turn a boy into a Spartan warrior

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through thirteen years of relentless,[br]harsh, and often brutal training.

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The Spartans prized physical perfection[br]above all else,

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and so the students spent a great deal[br]of their time learning how to fight.

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To ensure resilience in battle,

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boys were encouraged to fight[br]among themselves,

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and bullying, unlike today, [br]was acceptable.

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In order to better prepare the boys[br]for the conditions of war,

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the boys were poorly fed,

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sometimes even going days without eating.

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They also were given little [br]in the way of clothing

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so that they could learn to deal[br]with different temperatures.

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Spartan boys were encouraged[br]to steal in order to survive,

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but if they were caught,

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they would be disciplined,

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not because they stole,[br]but because they were caught in the act.

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During the annual contest of endurance

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in a religious ritual known as[br]the diamastigosis,

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teenage boys were whipped[br]in front of an altar

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at the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia.

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It was common for boys to die[br]on the altar of the goddess.

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Fortunately, not everything[br]was as brutal as that.

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Young Spartans were also taught[br]how to read,

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write,

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and dance,

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which taught them graceful control[br]of their movements

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and helped them in combat.

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While the responsibilities for the girls[br]of Sparta were different,

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the high standards of excellence

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and expectation to serve [br]Sparta with their lives remained the same.

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Spartan girls lived at home with[br]their mothers as they attended school.

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Their curriculum included the arts,

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music,

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dance,

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reading,

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and writing.

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And to stay in peak physical condition,[br]they learned a variety of sports,

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such as discus,

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javelin,

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and horseback riding.

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In Sparta, it was believed that only[br]strong and capable women

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could bear children that would one day[br]become strong and capable warriors.

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To all Spartans, men and women,

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perhaps the most important lesson[br]from Spartan school

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was allegiance to Sparta.

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To die for their city-state was seen[br]as the completion of one's duty to Sparta.

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Upon their death,

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only men who died in battle[br]and women who died in childbirth

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were given tombstones.

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In the eyes of their countrymen,[br]both died so that Sparta could live.