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Ploútarchos Chronicles The Deeds Of Lycugus The Lawgiver, & The Reigns Of The Spartan Kings Agis & Cleomenes.

Plutarch's 'On Sparta' was originally published in 1988 for the Penguin Classics with the translation work for the 'Lives' of Lycurgus, Agis, & Cleomenes done by Richard Talbert & the 'Life Of Agesilaus' by Ian Scott-Kilvert, whom also did the work for the 1960 edition of 'The Rise & Fall Of Athens'. This updated 2005 edition features Richard Talbert's revisions of the 4 aforementioned Spartan 'Lives' as well as a list of Sayings of Spartans & Spartan Women which are most often associated with Plutarch's series of moral essays, the 'Moralia', & finally, an appendix containing a translation of the 5th Century BC Greek historian Xenophon's political treatise, 'Politeia Of The Spartans', which Talbert prefers to render as 'Spartan Society'. All of the 'Lives' & the additional material feature exceptional introductions providing historical background, sources used, & further reading suggestions.

As he waits for his nephew Charilaus to attain his majority, Lycurgus travels abroad & begins laying the groundwork for a solid Spartan constitution by learning from the great civilizations of the Mediterranean. While at Crete he becomes acquainted with the lyric poet Thales, whose didactic verse possesses undertones that Lycurgus associated with the most powerful lawgivers, & as he stayed in luxurious Ionia, in Asia, he was introduced to the written works of the epic poet, Homer, & had them transcribed to share with his fellow Spartiates, & from the Egyptians he observed their practice of separating the warrior class from those of the laborers & craftsmen. Later in chapter 21 Plutarch describes the profound effect the travels of Lycurgus would have on Spartan culture : 'They were no less enthusiastic about training in lyric poetry & singing than they were about good style & purity in speech. Moreover their songs offered stimulus to rouse the spirit & encouragement for energetic, effective action, in style they were plain & unpretentious, while their subject matter was serious & calculated to mould character.'

In chapter 9 of his 'Life' Lycurgus the Lawgiver declares all gold & silver coinage null & void in a controversial edict, further decreeing that iron would be the only metal which could be used as legal currency. This has a catastrophic effect on the Spartan economy, aptly illustrated by Plutarch's vivid description : 'The iron money, after all, could not be exported elsewhere in Greece, & was considered a joke there, not an object of value. Consequently it was impossible to buy any shoddy foreign goods, & no cargo of merchandise would enter the harbours, no teacher of rhetoric trod Laconian soil, no begging seer, no maker of gold or silver ornaments -- because there was no coined money. Thus gradually cut off from the things that animate & feed it, luxury atrophied of its own accord.' Plutarch's 'Life Of Lycurgus' is paired with the 'Life' of the 2nd Roman lawmaker & king, Numa Pompilius, who is also credited as being the founder of the Roman religion.

After the death of the reigning Spartan King Agis II between 400/398 BC The Spartan Agesilaus gains the throne by manipulating an oracle's words & contesting the claim of Agis' heir Leotychidas, who was already thought to be an illegitimate son of the Athenian statesman Alcibiades. Throughout the course of his 40-year reign King Agesilaus II's pride, ambition, & unsuccessful panhellenic foreign policies prove to be the slow doom of the Spartan state Agesilaus later violates one of the Lycurgan 'rhetra' prohibiting frequent campaigns against the same enemy to prevent them from becoming effective in battle, when, possibly in 377 BC, after fighting in numerous expeditions against the Thebans he is seen wounded by Antalcidas, a prominent Spartan, who sardonically remarks to him : 'What splendid tuition you are receiving from the Thebans for having taught them to fight when they had neither the wish nor the knowledge to do so.'

At the beginning of his reign Agesilaus signs a treaty with the Persian Satrap of Lydia, Tissaphernes, the details of which include a release of Persian-controlled Greek cities, yet Tissaphernes nonetheless breaks the treaty & begins mobilizing his forces for war against the Spartans, prompting Agesilaus to employ a clever ruse where he first declares his intention to march on Caria & waits for the Persian force to amass their troops before proceeding to attack Phrygia instead. According to Plutarch, 'Here he captured many cities & seized a huge quantity of loot. In this way he demonstrated to his friends that to break a solemn agreement shows contempt for the gods, whereas to outwit one's enemy at once satisfies justice, earns great glory, & combines pleasure with profit.' King Agesilaus' 'Life' is paired with the famous Roman 1st-century BC general, Gnaeus Pompeius, who achieved great renown on the battlefield & was a member of the First Triumvirate with Gaius Iulius Caesar & Marcus Lucius Crassus.

Overall the Penguin Classics edition of Plutarch's 'On Sparta' is an exceptional piece of classical scholarship on a Greek city that is often overlooked in favor of more culturally well-known cities such as Athens & Rome, but the 'Lives' in this collection possess a unique atmosphere & high-energy tempo all their own, which sets them apart from Plutarch's other short biographies. At 211 pages this selection of 'Lives' is brief & also very easy to follow along with, making it a perfect choice for any reader unfamiliar with Plutarch's writing style. 'On Sparta' makes a wonderful companion piece to the 9 Athenian 'Lives' in 'The Rise & Fall Of Athens' set, also published by the Penguin Classics.