Hellenistic and Roman Sparta: a Tale of Two Cities

Hellenistic and Roman Sparta: a Tale of Two Cities

Renowned historian and author, Professor Paul Cartledge, will be speaking on the topic of "Hellenistic and Roman Sparta: a tale of two cities" on Thursday, 6 April, at 7 pm, as part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM). The event will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.

During his presentation, Professor Cartledge will delve into his book Hellenistic & Roman Sparta: A Tale of Two Cities, which highlights the importance of post-Classical Sparta. He will discuss the differences between "Hellenistic" Sparta (roughly the last 3 centuries BCE) and "Roman" Sparta, which were so distinct that they are best understood as two separate entities. Hellenistic Sparta marked the end of the famous, powerful, Classical Sparta with its distinctive Helot-based social, political, and economic regime. Roman Sparta, on the other hand, became a "theme park" for tourists, trading on its glorious past with no Helots, Perioeci, or agoge.

Professor Cartledge is the AG Leventis Senior Research Fellow of Clare College and formerly the inaugural AG Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge. He has authored, co-authored, edited, or co-edited 30 books, including Democracy: A Life and Thebes: the forgotten city of ancient Greece. His field of study is Athens and Sparta in the Classical Age, and he has been described as a Laconophile. He was also the chief historical consultant for the BBC TV series The Greeks and the Channel 4 series The Spartans, presented by Bettany Hughes. Professor Cartledge is an Honorary Citizen of modern Sparta and has recently been awarded the Commander of the Order of Honour for his contribution to enhancing Greece's stature abroad.

This is a unique opportunity for anyone interested in ancient Greece and its history to hear from one of the leading experts in the field. To attend the event, please visit GCM’s Facebook or YouTube page at 7pm on Thursday, April 6th.

Event Details:

When: Thursday 6 April 2023, at 7:00 pm

Where: Online via GCM’s Facebook and YouTube pages.