what was the relationship between Sparta and Athens after Thermopylae?
Sir Walter, very good posting! And may I congratulate you on your first posting. Be warned, however, several people post here who are less than tolerant of opposing viewpoints. As to your questions – the alliance of Athens and Sparta against the Persians was an alliance of necessity. Neither state had much use for the other prior to the Persian invasion. Sparta was ruled by two-autocratic kings, and Athens was a fledgling democracy. Athens was expansionist, and Sparta was deeply suspicious of her. It was similato the alliance between the Soviet Union and the U.S. against the Nazis in World War II. Once the Persians were defeated, Athens and Sparta quickly returned to a state of mutual mistrust. It seemed to me that ‘The Last Stand of the 300’ was quite accurate and informative. I’ve read quite a bit about Thermopylae over the years and didn’t notice any obvious errors. As to Spartan child-rearing, it seemed to be accurately presented. It was very harsh, and certainly would be considere
