031. A League of their own

EPISODE 31 A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

Likely by around 550 BCE, Sparta had the most powerful military in ancient Greece. They used that to their favour and created a coalition of Peloponnesian cities all bound to Sparta through unequal treaties of relative, mutual alliance. Called the, Lakedaimonians and their allies by ancient authors we know this union as the, Peloponnesian League.

In the episode I get right into the nuts and bolts of how the early league formed and introduce a little of the background information for the individual polis as we go along.  Sparta used the 6th century to, whether by plan or providence, develop the Peloponnese into a fortress.

It was also a prison. One of the primary reason's for the league's creation was to ensure the Helot population was surrounded by states completely antithetical to their cause.

The end result saw Sparta Hegemon over the largest army Greece had seen since the mythical Trojan war. Leaving them prepared for an even bigger army, that of Xerxes at Plataea in 479 BCE. The land-based victory of the Greeks was a direct result of Spartan activities during the 6th century with the league being pivotal.

Hope you all enjoy, welcome back and take care.

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