'Absorbing' The Times 'Gripping' Sam Leith 'There are few bits of history more mythologised, sensitive and political than Sparta, but luckily we have Bayliss' Dan Snow, creator of History Hit Sparta - its legendary warriors and steadfast resilience are famous throughout the world as a model for toughness, justice and masculinity. The Spartans' reputation as fighters is matched only by their mythic code of honour. Their torch has been carried by footballers and politicians, video games and philosophers alike. But who really were the Spartans? And what was the driving force behind the rise - and dramatic fall - of Sparta? Sparta traces the story of Ancient Greece's most iconic city-state, from its humble beginnings as a hamlet in the Peloponnese to its meteoric rise as the foremost military superpower of the Classical world. Andrew Bayliss uncovers the eclectic quirks that set Sparta above its rivals: its famous double monarchy, the harsh methods for raising children as soldiers and the unique role of women in Spartan life. Sparta was an ancient superpower, and its legacy is still shaping popular culture and politics today. This is the story of its rise and fall.

There are few bits of history more mythologised, sensitive and political than Sparta, but luckily we have Bayliss -- Dan Snow
A lively and plausible history ... A considerable feat -- Paul Cartledge * BBC History Magazine *
Accessible and absorbing * The Times *
Gripping -- Sam Leith * Spectator Book Club *
Engaging ... Bayliss provides a traditional political, military narrative, written in very readable prose, and informed by a sensitive reading of the ancient sources and a deep knowledge of modern scholarship * Daily Telegraph *
This is, without a doubt, one of the best discussions on Sparta for a general audience to be published in the last decade, maybe longer * Ancient History *
Clear and concise ... there is something for everyone to feed their Spartan fascination * History of War *
The most readable, entertaining, and informative book about the Spartans I've ever read - at once deeply researched and as punchy as the ancient Lakedaemonians themselves. Whereas most standard modern histories depict the Spartans one-dimensionally, the truth, as Andrew Bayliss shows, is far more complex and human. If you read only one nonfiction book on the ancient Spartans, make it this one -- Steven Pressfield, author * Gates of Fire *
At once erudite and engaging, this book offers an excellent introduction to the ancient Spartans, who continue to fascinate and perplex modern readers -- Professor Ellen Millender
This lively and immensely readable introduction to one of antiquity's most inscrutable societies weaves ancient history with modern archaeology to penetrate the "Spartan mirage" and view with admirable clarity six centuries of Ancient Greece through Spartan eyes. -- David Stuttard, author * A History of Ancient Greece in 50 Lives *
Praise for The Spartans: A new history of these extraordinary and often terrifying people, which is both scholarly and highly entertaining * Mail Online *
A readable, informative, excellent survey * Irish Times *
With a succinctness worthy of his subjects - whose 'linguistic austerity' inspired the word 'laconic' - Bayliss distils extensive research to offer an engaging, lucid insight into this unique society * Mail on Sunday *
Anyone interested in Sparta should read it, and every school library should own it * Classics For All *

Andrew Bayliss is Associate Professor in Greek History at the University of Birmingham. He has taught and studied in Australia, Greece and the UK, and his published works on ancient Greek history include Oath and State in Ancient Greece, The Spartans and The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction.