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Sparta had two kings that would rule in tangent and a council, offering a sort of checks and balance in their version of a democratic society. For continuity one king could then stay home to continue to rule while the other was leading the Spartans in battle....

Sparta dominated Greece for nearly two centuries. They fought many wars against the other Greek states and fought two major wars with Persia alone and with the Peloponnesian League. Their army was depleted greatly by these wars and finally fell from power; ironically from a two pronged attack from above and below- a war with Thebes and a massive earthquake that hit Sparta killing thousands. Mother Nature did what no one else could. From their fie...

A hoplites most important piece of equipment, and what gave the hoplite its name, is the hoplon, the shield (881004). The shield was made of overlapping planks of wood covered in leather, with the face of the shield covered completely in a thin sheet of bronze. This gave it incredible strength while at the same time not making it so heavy that it became unusable. Each shield was round and approximately 36 to 38 in diameter. Worn on the left arm,...