The Peloponnesian War is the name given to the long series of conflicts between Athens and Sparta that lasted from ... the alliance had become an empire in all but name. Over the next two decades ...

Sparta had a highly unusual system of government. Two kings ruled the city, but a 28-member 'council of elders' limited their powers. These men were recruited from the highest social class, the ...

From torturous training exercises to disturbing marriage rituals, the Spartan empire was darker than you thought.