#ephebeia

Agoge and Ephebeia – Education and Military Training in Ancient Greece

1 Introduction Ever since Zack Snyder’s “300” at the latest, Sparta has been a household name for the general public. The 300 Spartans, who are literally bred into fighting machines through rigorous training from childhood onwards, have permanently shaped the image of the ancient polis. The adjective “Spartan”, which is still used today to describe particularly harsh or meagre conditions,…