Sparta Beyond the Mirage

This is the fourth collection of original papers on which Powell and Hodkinson have collaborated; a sequel to Classical Sparta: The Shadow of Sparta and Sparta: New Perspectives . The distinguished team of contributors includes most of the established authorities in the field of Spartan history and deliberately mixes the diverse scholarly traditions of many countries. Among the themes addressed are Herodotus' treatment of Sparta, Thermopylai and its moral equation with self-sacrifice, the invention of tradition, iron currency and the Spartan economy and the relationship between helots and perioikoi .