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On Sparta (Penguin Classics) Paperback – December 27, 2005

by Plutarch (Author), Richard J. A. Talbert (Editor, Translator, Introduction), Christopher Pelling (Editor)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 277 ratings
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Plutarch’s vivid and engaging portraits of the Spartans and their customs are a major source of our knowledge about the rise and fall of their remarkable Greek city-state between the sixth and third centuries BC. Through his Lives of Sparta’s leaders and his recording of memorable Spartan Sayings, he depicts a people who lived frugally and mastered their emotions in all aspects of life, who disposed of unhealthy babies in a deep chasm, introduced a gruelling regimen of military training for boys, and treated their serfs brutally. Rich in anecdote and detail, Plutarch’s writing brings to life the personalities and achievements of Sparta with unparalleled flair and humanity.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    December 27, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    5.09 x 0.66 x 7.78 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0140449434
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0140449433
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Plutarch (c.50-c.120 AD) was a writer and thinker born into a wealthy, established family of Chaeronea in central Greece. He received the best possible education in rhetoric and philosophy, and traveled to Asia Minor and Egypt. Later, a series of visits to Rome and Italy contributed to his fame, which was given official recognition by the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. Plutarch rendered conscientious service to his province and city (where he continued to live), as well as holding a priesthood at nearby Delphi. His voluminous surviving writings are broadly divided into the "moral"works and the Parallel Lives of outstanding Greek and Roman leaders. The former (Moralia) are a mixture of rhetorical and antiquarian pieces, together with technical and moral philosophy (sometimes in dialogue form). The Lives have been influential from the Renaissance onwards.

Richard Talbert was born in England in 1947. He was a scholar of The King’s School, Canterbury, and of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he gained a Double First Class Honors in Classics, followed by a doctorate which was the basis of his first book, Timoleon and the Revival of Greek Sicily. After his appointment in 1970 to teach ancient history at Queen’s University, Belfast, his research extended into Roman history and the production of his major work, The Senate of Imperial Rome, which won the Goodwin Award of Merit. He has been a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. After three years as Professor of History at McMaster University, Ontario, Canada, in 1988 he moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as William Rand Kenan, Jr., Professor. He currently directs an international project to produce what will be the first major classical atlas since the last century.

Christopher Pelling  is professor of classics at Oxford University and a fellow of Christ Church.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics; Revised ed. edition (December 27, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140449434
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140449433
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.09 x 0.66 x 7.78 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 277 ratings

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Plutarch

Plutarch

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Plutarch (/ˈpluːtɑːrk/; Greek: Πλούταρχος, Ploútarkhos, Koine Greek: [plǔːtarkʰos]; later named, upon becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus (Λούκιος Μέστριος Πλούταρχος);[a] c. AD 46 – AD 120) was a Greek historian, biographer and essayist, known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia. He is classified as a Middle Platonist. Plutarch's surviving works are believed to have been originally written in Koine Greek.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo from Parallel Lives, Amyot's French translation [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
277 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

scrivener
5.0 out of 5 stars Spartan lives through the eyes of a nearer historian
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2008
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Amidst all the contemporary historical deconstructionist prattling over the Spartans, the views and words of the more proximate historians among the ancients shine out like stars in a dark firmament.

Plato and Aristotle had much to say of the Spartan constitution. Likewise did Plutarch, who was a later Greek historian living from 46-120 AD during the period of Roman Imperial ascendacy.

In this book there is much instructive and readable biographical information on prominent Spartan lives, as well as explantions of culture and customs surrounding the "Laws of Lycurgus."

There are Spartan tales and aphorisms as well and the inclusion of the tragic stories of the later reformers are invaluable inclusions taken from the perspective of time. They are archetypal stories of heroic-tragic figures who strive greatly to resurrect a noble but dying people and their way of life. I enjoy to ponder parallels between late Spartan reformer-Kings and the Roman Emperor Julian Apostate.

Plutarch's book is required reading for students of Sparta. This edition is a good editing and compilation and the first version of Plutarch's writings on Sparta that I would recommend readers select.
5 people found this helpful
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Oliver
5.0 out of 5 stars ... after "Achilles in Vietnam" as part of a command-directed recommended reading list
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2016
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Read this after "Achilles in Vietnam" as part of a command-directed recommended reading list. Was enlightening to see that even the most storied society of warriors was considered to be naive and difficult to deal with. Plutarch says, "The guardian class must always be deceived" and this philosophical 'deceit' on the part of the state towards the guardian class is an interesting concept to reflect upon - even if Plutarch gets it wrong about Lycurgus.
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Christopher R. Travers
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and thought-provoking read
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2009
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This book is a collection of some lives and excerpts from lives (or biographies) by Plutarch about Spartan kings. It provides a great deal of food for thought and I would recommend it.

The book consists of roughly three parts: The first is a collection of biographies of Spartan kings (Lycurgas, etc). The Life of Lysander has been omitted because it is included in another Penguin edition. The second part consists of excerpts of Putarch's writings consisting of sayings which provide insight into Spartan life and culture. The third part is an appendix which includes some of Xenophon's notes about Sparta.

The book allows us to ask a number of questions which may provide fruitful, such as the specific relationship between Spartan culture and Plato's ideas in "Republic." In general a lot of things in Republic that seem particularly contrary to the Athenian state are found in Sparta in this book. Perhaps this is why Plutarch places Lycurgus above Plato, saying that the latter wrote books on political theory but the former had invented them and put them in practice. These include descriptions of everything from female public nudity being equivalent to male public nudity to the idea that children should all be wards of the state and not the wards of their fathers. A great number of small details seem to be taken directly from Spartan life in Plato's work and this suggests that Plato, like Xenophon, was fundamentally more sympathetic to Sparta than to Athens.

On the negative side, I agree that it would be good to have a more complete reference of Plutarch's references to Sparta in one volume.

On the whole, this is an interesting book. 4 stars
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Tiffiny Dameron
5.0 out of 5 stars For Spartans
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2014
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I got this book in the library, read it, then went and bought it from the store. They only had one so I got this one online. Discusses Sparta and her laws from a late contemporary of the time. I use this as a basis for my own personal philosophy.
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Student for Life
5.0 out of 5 stars A Clear Picture of what Spartan Life was like.
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2018
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Himself a Greek, Plutarch was a witness of Spartan life first hand, but most of his accounts come from different sources. Well written book about a great civilization.
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Catharine Pizzarello
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2019
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Fantastic!! I’m learning so much and it’s also quite entertaining!
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Airborne
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2017
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love the book and in good condition
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Wolfsbane
5.0 out of 5 stars ... to the Greek Study Program- and it does not disappoint.
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2015
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This was intended as a supplement to the Greek Study Program- and it does not disappoint.
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Top reviews from other countries

Pedro
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in Brazil on March 22, 2021
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Plutarch is simply one of the best ancient writers, with simple and engaging prose. No wonder so much of his original sources were lost because people would rather read and copy his works. Some merit is certainly due to the translator as well, which provides a nice introduction and context to each segment, as well as extensive notes and further bibliography on the topics.

The book focuses on Sparta and its unique martial culture and leadership in Greece. To tell the story, it contains three biographies from some of its most illustrious leaders, a collection of quotes and sayings from Spartans and a summary of the unique customs of the city as perceived by other Greeks. The first (and most interesting) biography is from Lycurgus: the lawgiver, mythical figure that created the Spartan constitution and influenced the odd customs the city state is most famous for. Then there is Agesilaus, one of the Spartan kings at its height. A rather simple man, not raised to be king, both corrupt and capable military leader. It tells of the downfall of the Spartan hegemony in Greece in its conflicts with the Boeotian League leaded by Thebes. Finally, Agis and Cleomenes biographies, both reformers which tried to take Sparta back to its original constitution to save the city from the nobility corruption and stagnation brought by inequality, very similar to the Gracchi brothers of Rome. The first was felled during conflicts with the oligarchies of Sparta, the second lost its life amid the Successor Kingdoms politics, dying as a hostage in Ptolemaic Egypt after leading a brief recovery of Spartan power in the Peloponnese.

The book finishes with sayings of Spartans and typical examples of laconism: brief witticisms used to justify the uniqueness of Sparta and its citizens. While they are most likely invented or retconned to explain past, they embody the image of Sparta that other Greeks had and that ended up forming our image of the Spartans: one that emphasizes courage, austere living, martial excellence and devotion of its citizens and families to the state.

Many things surprised me throughout the book, with some interesting parallels to the present. It’s interesting to see how Lycurgus, the founding father of the Spartan constitution, was actually the amalgamation of different historical leaders and an ex-post justification for Spartan culture and (due to the deviation from the ordained constitution by him) its downfall as the preeminent city of Greece. The failure of Sparta to reform its political and economic system despite growing inequality, declining population and stagnant economy is also attested by a promise supposedly made by the people to him, a fact that carry strong symbolic meaning, even if unlikely to have happened.

Speaking of tradition, it is also interesting to see how both sides of the political spectrum appeal to it to further their goals of reform: either to reinforce the oligarchical system in place or devolve more power to the kings. If you read Roman history you will feel at home with the recurring discussion on inequality, the reforms needed to curb it and how its fighting capability and moral quality of the citizens was affected by it. In the end, deep reforms seem to rarely go through without a significant breakup of the political order, which usually results in violence. Property also seemed to be linked to more freedom and broader political rights. Whenever it concentrated in the hands of a few, the system was liable to corruption, abuse of power by the elites and populists that promoted radical solutions and ended up concentrating political power.
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jun macnab
4.0 out of 5 stars By plutarch
Reviewed in Canada on February 3, 2021
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Historical interest
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Amos leong
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind boggling!
Reviewed in Singapore on May 18, 2020
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An eye opener on an exclusive ancient society,some of which are mind boggling,a book i will not get bored of.
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giuseppe
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for who want know about Spata.
Reviewed in Italy on October 23, 2015
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This volume is a collection of books about Sparta . Every history in this volume gives to the reader a good panorama of what would be Spartiates. The characters are the best of elites warrior, heroes and kings but also common man.
You also can find an appendix of Xenophon on the Costitution of Sparta or as the Spartans call it the Goods Laws.
So you can understand why from the ancient times Sparta and his way of lives was so admired.
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Luc REYNAERT
5.0 out of 5 stars A beehive of killing machines
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2007
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Plutarch's book tells the immensely sad story of the relentless warring between the Greek City States: `Alas for Greece, how many men have you killed with your own hands.'
His masterly brushed picture of Sparta is not less than astonishing. Sparta has been one of the purest communist States on earth.
In order to stamp out arrogance, envy, crime, luxury, wealth and poverty among its citizens, the kings imposed redistribution of land, common messes for all Spartans, no free travel (foreign morals should be hidden) and no immigration (could be teachers of evil practices). Gold and silver coins were declared invalid and replaced by iron ones. Those who wanted to sin by amassing great wealth, needed vast granaries. Nepotism was impossible because children didn't privately belong to the fathers, but jointly by the city. Moreover, the city needed children from the best men (eugenics). Barbarous methods were used in the military education of the youth: thousands of human targets (helots) were killed in nightly survival exercises.
The ultimate goal of the State was to create an army of bees swarming around their leaders and capable of defending Sparta's 4 villages against any outside enemy.
For Plutarch, Sparta went under when it replaced its defence policies by offensive one: `empire and sovereignty war by force - unnecessary elements for maintaining the happy life of any State.' It was beaten by Epaminondas' Theban army.
Sparta was the ideal State for Plato, of whom Plutarch adopted his anti-democratic reflexes: `those politicians, whose sights are set on glory, are servants of the crowd, even though they are called rulers.'

This book is a must read for all those interested in the history of mankind.
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