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                                  Works Cited

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                                  Works Cited

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Sam, Alexander. “Military & Weapons in Ancient Sparta.” Synonym, 30 June 2020, https://classroom.synonym.com/military-weapons-ancient-sparta-8171167.html.

Mark, Joshua J. “The Greek Phalanx.” World History Encyclopedia, World History Encyclopedia, 4 Dec. 2021, https://www.worldhistory.org/article/110/the-greek-phalanx/.

Pozin, Alex. “Did the Spartans Invent Encryption?” Box Blog, 8 May 2015, https://blog.box.com/did-spartans-invent-encryption.

“Ancient Greece.” Ducksters, https://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_greece/sparta.php.

History.com Editors. “Leonidas.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/leonidas.

Pennybaker, Harrison. “Inventions of the Spartans.” Synonym, 28 Sept. 2017, https://classroom.synonym.com/inventions-of-the-spartans-12084269.html.

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Using the spear in ultra tight phalanx formation

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Around 400 B.C., the Spartans invented a brilliant encryption tool for sending information between military leaders. This communication tool gave Spartans the ability to send secure messages by wrapping a very thin piece of leather around a rod called a Scytale. This message was written horizontally across the rod. In order to understand and read the message, the reader had to have an identically sized Scytale to wrap the leather around. Without this Scytale, the message would just be a jumble of letters lacking any sort of meaning. By using a Scytale, military leaders could trust that their messages were secured, even if the message fell into the wrong hands. Usually, messengers from different regions would deliver these Scytales. It was very uncommon for messengers to get killed as they are transferring these messages because that was considered disrespectful and an act of war. However, the Spartans are guilty of this. One example of this is when the Spartan king Leonidas kicked a messenger into a bottomless pit.

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The Spartans did not create slavery, however, they did create a particular kind of slavery system. Helots were captured slaves that the Spartans collected after they had defeated an enemy. These captured enemies had no rights and belonged to the state when they were captured. The essential role of these helots was to work on agricultural development, which mostly included the increase of food production. Helots were usually slaughtered, mistreated, and humiliated. On top of that, every autumn the Spartans would organize mass beatings of the helots in order to keep them in check. The Spartans would declare war on the helots because it removed the fear of religious repercussions.

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One of the reasons why the Spartans had such a powerful army was because of the upbringing of their soldiers. They did this by creating military schools, which are now widely adopted around the world. A Spartan soldier's journey first started at the age of 7 where they left home to go to military academies. The young soldiers were put through hard work and training for 11 years. Spartan boys had to endure tough conditions such as no shoes, very few clothes, and being taught to endure pain. Throughout their teenage years, Spartan boys were required to become skilled in multiple military activities. This included wrestling, swimming, boxing, discus, and Javelin throwing. Once they have turned 18, Spartan boys were commanded to go and steal their own food. Getting caught would result in harsh punishment since the whole point was to train Spartan boys how to become stealthy. At the age of 20, spartan boys had to pass multiple tests that required physical power and leadership in order to become official soldiers.

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One of the most famous military formations that the Spartans are known for is the Phalanx. In a phalanx, the soldiers arrange themselves into a rectangular formation and are armed with weapons such as swords, spears, pikes, sarissas, and other weapons. The key is to fight in a tight formation towards an enemy for the soldiers to break the enemy line. This attack would not work if the soldiers are not fighting closely together. The phalanx, then, can be used in an exceptional 'pushing match' with the front-line soldiers literally being pushed forward by the shields of the soldiers who are behind them. Over the years, the phalanx evolved, as a 'battering ram' that broke front lines, while other soldiers conducted flank attacks.

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Sparta is very well known for being one of the most powerful city-states in Ancient Greece. It is mostly famous for its intimidating and powerful army. Spartans are also famous for their battles with the city-state of Athens during the Peloponnesian War. The city-state of Sparta was located in a valley on the banks of the Eurotas River. This area was located in the south-eastern part of Greece where they controlled Laconia and Messenia.