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Sparta is one of the most famous states in the Classical era. It is often regarded as the epitome of the military-state that is devoted to war. The history of Sparta has fascinated intellectuals from Plato until today and inspired great leaders such as Frederick the Great and Napoleon. For the majority of the Classical period of Greece, it was the greatest military power and had the most a formidable army. To many, it seemed that Sparta was invincible and indeed its army had never been defeated in battle. However, in 371 BCE Sparta was defeated and this marked the beginning of the end of Spartan power and it gradually became a minor power. This decay occurred because Sparta's population declined, change in values and a stubborn preservation of conservatism. Overtime, Sparta lost its position as a preeminent Greek military power.

== History of Sparta==For many decades’ SpartaHowever, had been the greatest power in Greece, this power 371 BCE Sparta was based on its well-disciplined defeated and much-feared army. The Spartan Hoplite were considered the best soldiers in the Greek world <ref>Hanson, Victor Davis. A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War. (New York: Random House, 2005), p. 56</ref>. The state was focused on the development of fine and brave warriors. The need to produce outstanding soldiers shaped Spartan history and society. The origin of the Spartan probably lay in the so-called ‘Dark Ages’ in 2 century BCE</ref> Hanson, p. 57</ref>. During this time, Greek invaders from the north who spoke a variant of Greek known as Doric invaded the Peloponnesian. They overthrew marked the Mycenaean Kingdom and established their own state. The new state was ruled by a Doric-speaking elite who enslaved many beginning of the existing population. These were the helots, a large population end of people who were the serfs of the Spartan elite <ref> Cartlidge, Paul, The Spartans (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002), p. 6</ref>. The helots had no legal rights power and had to provide their Spartan overlords with food and labor. The need to control the helots shaped Spartan society. According to Spartan mythology, Lycurgus, who was almost certainly over time it gradually became a mythical figure gave them their unique constitution, that set out not only the state’s political system but also its social order<ref>Plutarchminor power. On This decay occurred because Sparta (London, Penguin Books, 1994)'s population declined, p. 43</ref>. The political system was headed by two kings from two royal families. They were advised by a council of elders and every Spartan citizen could vote change in a general assembly. Every Spartan male citizen was expected to be a warrior values and the duty stubborn preservation of every Spartan woman was to bear a warrior<ref>Plutarch, p. 56</ref>conservatism. Sparta was in many ways a totalitarian state and the government oversaw every aspect of the lives of the citizens. Infants who were deemed unfit were killed soon after their birth. Young boys were taken from their families and enrolled in the Agoge<ref> Plutarch, p. 67</ref>. To ensure that the Spartans produced enough warriors they developed the Agoge system. In this system, male children were trained from an early age to be warriors. They were exposed to many hardships and privations to toughen them up. This education produced the finest soldiers in Greece and the Spartan hoplite was invincible on battlefields all over Greece. Sparta had traditionally adopted a cautious foreign policy and was happy to dominate the Peloponnesian League. In the aftermath of the defeat of the second Persian invasion of Greece they decided not to continue the war against the Persians<ref>Cartlidge, p. 77</ref>. Sparta was always conscious that the Spartan citizens were a minority in their own land and they knew that if their army was defeated or lost that the helots would rise up and destroy Sparta. This changed during the Peloponnesian War when Sparta and her allies entered a life and death struggle with the Athenian Empire. The Spartans were able to prevail but only at a high cost. It could expand ultimately surrendered its influence across the Greek world in the aftermath of the defeat of Athens <ref>Cartledge, Paul, Spartan Reflections (London, Duckworth, 2001), p.112</ref>. This new power disrupted Spartan society and over time undermined the unique system that had allowed the Spartans to become the finest soldiers in Greece<ref>Thucydides 5. 6</ref>. A little over thirty years after their victory over Athens the Spartans were defeated by a new rising power in position as ancient Greece, Thebes. The defeat at Leuctra was the first inflicted on the Spartan army. The Spartans lost control of much of their empire and no longer the greatest 's preeminent military power in Greece, indeed they were something of a backwater and entered in a period of profound decline, although they remained independent, until the rise of the Roman Empire, who annexed it in the 2nd century BCE.

==Decline in the number == History of Spartan CitizensSparta====For many decades’ Sparta , was a society that the greatest power in Greece, this power was based according to many historians on a caste systemits well-disciplined and much-feared army. The Spartan citizens Hoplite were considered the highest caste and they dominated best soldiers in the other groups in societyGreek world <ref>Hanson, Victor Davis. The other groups in Sparta included A War Like No Other: How the helots Athenians and Spartans Fought the PereokiPeloponnesian War. (New York: Random House, 2005), this was a group of freemen who were not citizens and were usually craftsmen and traders<ref>Plutarch, p. 113p. 56</ref>The state was focused on the development of fine and brave warriors. To be a The need to produce outstanding soldiers shaped Spartan history and society. The origin of the Spartan citizenprobably lay in the so-called ‘Dark Ages’ in 2 century BCE.<ref> Hanson, a male or a female had to be able to trace their ancestry back to the original Doric conquerorsp. They also could not be of helot extraction57</ref>CartledgeDuring this time, 2001, p. 56</ref>. To be Greek invaders from the north who spoke a Spartan citizen, one had to undertake variant of Greek known as Doric invaded the rigorous education of Peloponnesian. They overthrew the agogeMycenaean Kingdom and established their own state. Only those who had completed their education in the agoge The new state was entitled to be ruled by a citizenDoric-speaking elite who enslaved many of the existing population. Now there These were some exceptions to this and these include the helots, a helot or a foreigner large population of people who was adopted by a ‘Spartiate’ family were the serfs of the Spartan elite.<ref>PlutarchCartlidge, Paul, The Spartans (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002), p.696</ref>. To be a citizen the Spartan The helots had no legal rights and had to pay his own way in the agoge, that is he had to contribute provide their Spartan overlords with food and labor. The need to control the running of the system and to supply his own armorhelots shaped Spartan society. Failure  According to pay Spartan mythology, Lycurgus, who was almost certainly a mythical figure gave them their wayunique constitution, meant that a Spartan could be expelled from set out not only the Spartan student bodystate’s political system but also its social order. The criteria for a Spartan citizen was very high<ref>Plutarch. While the On Sparta (London, Penguin Books, 1994), p. 43</ref> The political system ensured that the Spartans was headed by two kings from two royal families. They were dedicated advised by a council of elders and well-trained warriors it also led to problems replacing those who died every Spartan citizen could vote in battle<ref>Cartledge, 2002, pa general assembly. 118Every Spartan male citizen was expected to be a warrior and the duty of every Spartan woman was to bear a warrior.<ref>Plutarch, p. 56</ref>. The population of Sparta was never very high. Even at its peak in many ways a totalitarian state and the 6th century BCE government oversaw every aspect of the number lives of Spartan the citizens was approximately 9000. This is known Infants who were deemed unfit were killed soon after their birth. Young boys were taken from their families and enrolled in the size of the Spartan army at the timeAgoge.<ref> Plutarch, p. By 67</ref> To ensure that the time of Spartans produced enough warriors they developed the battle of Leuctra the size of the Spartan citizen populationAgoge system.  In this system, once again based on male children were trained from an early age to be warriors. They were exposed to many hardships and privations to toughen them up. This education produced the finest soldiers in Greece and the size of their army Spartan hoplite was only 4,000invincible on battlefields all over Greece. The Spartan citizen body Sparta had been dwindling over time. This traditionally adopted a cautious foreign policy and was even though happy to dominate the Spartans at various times Peloponnesian League. In the aftermath of the defeat of the second Persian invasion of crisis had allowed some non-citizens Greece they decided not to enrol in continue the war against the citizen bodyPersians. The Spartan leadership had long been very nervous about <ref>Cartlidge, p. 77</ref> Sparta was always conscious that the decline Spartan citizens were a minority in their own land and they knew that if their army was defeated or lost that the citizen numbers, especially as the helot population continued to growhelots would rise up and destroy Sparta. The exact reasons for this decline are not known. It is believed that over time that This changed during the Peloponnesian War when Sparta and her allies entered a life and death struggle with the Spartan birth rate declinedAthenian Empire. The exact reasons for this are not knownSpartans were able to prevail but only at a high cost. It may be a result of could expand its influence across the rigorous agoge system and Greek world in the fact that aftermath of the family was not as important for men as their comrades in the agoge defeat of Athens.<ref>PlutarchCartledge, Paul, Plutarch's. Morals Spartan Reflections (BostonLondon, Cambridge University PressDuckworth, 18912001), p. 113112</ref>, Another reason for  This new power disrupted Spartan society and over time undermined the diminution in unique system that had allowed the number of citizens was Spartans to become the fact that increasingly many Spartan citizens could no longer afford to pay finest soldiers in Greece.<ref>Thucydides 5. 6</ref> A little over thirty years after their dues in victory over Athens the agoge system as that society became increasingly divided between rich and poorSpartans were defeated by a new rising power in Greece, Thebes. The growing wealth of Sparta defeat at Leuctra was concentrated in the hands first inflicted on the Spartan army. The Spartans lost control of much of the few their empire and this meant that fewer men could meet no longer the financial demands greatest power in Greece, indeed they were something of a citizen<ref>Cartledgebackwater and entered in a period of profound decline, although they remained independent, 2002until the rise of the Roman Empire, pwho annexed it in the 2nd century BCE. 123</ref>. This decline  ====Decline in the number of Spartan citizen meant that there were fewer soldiers over time to fight its warsCitizens====[[File: Battle of Thermopylae - pass. The sheer brilliance jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|Spartans at the Battle of the Spartan hoplite meant Thermopoyle]]Sparta was a society that for many centuries even though their armies was getting smaller allowed them based according to overcome their enemies in battlemany historians on a caste system. HoweverThe Spartan citizens were the highest caste, by and they dominated the time of the battle of Leuctra other groups in society. The other groups in Sparta included the Spartan army was simply too small helots and it the Pereoki; this was defeated for the first time in its historya group of freemen who were not citizens and were usually craftsmen and traders. [[File: Battle of Thermopylae - pass<ref>Plutarch, p.jpg|thumbnail|200px|Spartans at the Battle of Thermopoyle]]==The collapse in 113</ref> Spartan Values==Sparta was much admired in Greececitizens, a male or a female, had to be able to trace their ancestry back to the original Doric conquerors. The Greeks admired the harmony and order produced by the Spartan ConstitutionThey also could not be of helot extraction. Indeed many Greeks wanted their polis to adopt <ref>Cartledge, 2001, p. 56</ref> To be a similar form Spartan citizen, one had to undertake the rigorous education of government The city-state system also influenced philosophers such as Plato and its influence can be seen the Agoge. Only those who had completed their education in his great work the Republic. The Spartan system was based on the idea that the collective came before the individualAgoge was entitled to be a citizen. The state demanded total obedience from the citizen whose service  Now there were some exceptions to the state came before, their family this and personal wishes. The Spartan warrior and indeed other citizens saw themselves as members of the collective and this is best seen in the agoge system. The Spartan these include a helot or a foreigner who was expected to renounce personal wealth and gain and to use all their personal resources for the good of the state and the citizen-bodyadopted by a ‘Spartiate’ family.<ref> PausaniasPlutarch, p. Description of Greece. with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones (Boston69</ref> To be a citizen the Spartan had to pay his way in the agoge, Cambridge University Press, 1918), pthat is he had to contribute to the running of the system and to supply his armor. 345</ref>Failure to pay their way meant that a Spartan could be expelled from the Spartan student body. The citizen body criteria for a Spartan citizen was a band of equal all committed to very high. While the system ensured that the defines Spartans were dedicated and glory of Spartawell-trained warriors it also led to problems replacing those who died in battle. However<ref>Cartledge, 2002, over time these values were eroded and p. 118</ref>  The population of Sparta came to resemble its turbulent and was never very individualistic neighborshigh. This was a long-term process and there were many reasons for the decline Even at its peak in the traditional Spartan values, that underpinned its political system. However6th century BCE, the Peloponnesian War accelerated this trend <ref> Thucydidesnumber of Spartan citizens was approximately 9000. 6. 7</ref>. The booty This is known from the war led to a growing divide between size of the Spartan citizensarmy at the time. A wealthy class By the time of the battle of Leuctra, the size of the Spartan citizen emerged rich from booty and payments from Sparta’s alliespopulation, once again based on the size of their army was only 4,000. This meant that many citizens could no longer be members The Spartan citizen body had been dwindling over time.  This was even though the Spartans at various times of crisis had allowed some non-citizens to enroll in the agoge system but that they were under the control of a wealthy elite<ref>Cartledge, 2002, pcitizen body. 176</ref>. It is also believed that The Spartan leadership had long been very nervous about the growing inequality decline in wealth also resulted in a falling birth-ratethe citizen numbers, especially as the helot population continued to grow. Then Sparta was increasingly bedeviled by internal dissent and political in-fightingThe exact reasons for this decline are not known. This was because many Spartans had experience of leadership outside It is believed that over time that the city-state and they were no longer willing, to obey the old eliteSpartan birth rate declined. The precise reasons for this are not known. Spartan generals such as Lysander began to seek personal power and this led to growing instability, in It may be a political entity that seemed so fixed result of the rigorous agoge system and stable, through the centuries. Before the fateful battle of Leuctra, Sparta fact that the family was no longer not as unified important for men as it once was and this was a factor in its declinetheir comrades in the agoge.<ref>Plutarch, Plutarch's.==Conservatism==The Spartan system and the entire society Morals (Boston, Cambridge University Press, 1891), p. 113</ref>  Another reason for the diminution in the number of citizens was the fact that increasingly many Spartan citizens could no longer afford to pay their dues in the agoge system as that society became increasingly divided between rich and poor. The growing wealth of Sparta was concentrated in the hands of the few, and this meant that fewer men could meet the financial demands of a citizen.<ref>Cartledge, 2002, p. 123</ref> This decline in the Spartan citizen meant that there were fewer soldiers over time to fight its wars. The sheer brilliance of the Spartan hoplite meant that for many centuries even though their armies were getting smaller allowed them to overcome their enemies in battle. However, by the time of the battle of Leuctra, the Spartan army was just too small, and it was defeated for the first time in its history.  <dh-ad/> ====The collapse in Spartan Values====Sparta was much admired in Greece. The Greeks admired the harmony and order produced by the Spartan Constitution. Indeed many Greeks wanted their polis to adopt a similar form of government The city-state system also influenced philosophers such as Plato and its influence can be seen in his great work the Republic. The Spartan system was based on the idea that the collective came before the individual. The state demanded total obedience from the citizen whose service to the state came before, their family and personal wishes. The Spartan warrior and indeed other citizens saw themselves as members of the collective and this is best seen in the agoge system. The Spartan was expected to renounce personal wealth and gain and to use all their personal resources for the good of the state and the citizen-body.<ref> Pausanias. Description of Greece. with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones (Boston, Cambridge University Press, 1918), p. 345</ref>  The citizen body was a band of equal all committed to the defines and glory of Sparta. However, over time these values were eroded and Sparta came to resemble its turbulent and very individualistic neighbors. This was a long-term process and there were many reasons for the decline in the traditional Spartan values, that underpinned its political system. However, the Peloponnesian War accelerated this trend.<ref>Thucydides. 6. 7</ref> The booty from the war led to a growing divide between the Spartan citizens. A wealthy class of citizen emerged rich from booty and payments from Sparta’s allies. This meant that many citizens could no longer be members of the agoge system but that they were under the control of a wealthy elite.<ref>Cartledge, 2002, p. 176</ref>  It is also believed that the growing inequality in wealth also resulted in a falling birth-rate. Then Sparta was increasingly bedeviled by internal dissent and political in-fighting. This was because many Spartans had experience of leadership outside the city-state and they were no longer willing, to obey the old elite. Spartan generals such as Lysander began to seek personal power and this led to growing instability, in a political entity that seemed so fixed and stable, through the centuries. Before the fateful battle of Leuctra, Sparta was no longer as unified as it once was and this was a factor in its decline. ====Conservatism====[[File: Therm2007.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px| Recreation of Greek Hoplite]] The Spartan system and the entire society was built around one aim, and that was to maintain the existing order. They sought to preserve their ascendancy over the helot population and their leadership of the Geek world. It was a society that distrusted change and believed that it was destabilizing. Sparta’ Constitution was built around one aim handed down from generation to generation, and that it was to maintain the existing ordernot altered or changed. They sought to preserve their ascendancy over the helot population and their leadership of the Geek world. It was a The system or society that distrusted change and believed that it was destabilizing. Sparta’ Constitution was handed down from generation to generation and it was not altered or changed. The system or society that was sanctioned was sanctioned by the constitution did not change either. The Spartans were notoriously conservative , and they refused to countenance endorse change, unlike the rest of Greece who was constantly continually changing, especially the Athenians.  The conservatism of the Spartans was often a strength but also a weakness. The state or society did not change and adapt to new social, political and military realities. Sparta was unable to change- this meant that it was inflexible and many even at the time saw it as a society that was petrifying .<ref>Forrest, W.G., A History of Sparta, 950–192 B.C., New York: W. W. Norton & C, 1968), p. 113</ref>. The Spartans did not change their military tactics and still used the traditional tactics even when other states in Greece, such as Thebes were updating the phalanx formation. Then the Spartans could not change even when the citizen body went into a precipitous decline, there . There was no meaningful effort to reform the agoge system. The society seemed incapable of dealing with many of the problems that it faced in the wake of its victory in the Peloponnesian War.<ref>Forrest, p. 145</ref>.[[File: Therm2007.jpg|thumbnail|200px| Recreation of Greek Hoplite]]p. 145</ref> ====Conclusion==Conclusion==

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