Spartan Empire- why not?

[Arthes]

the basic difference is that Romans had a national mentality while Greeks had a slight ethnic one only in times of need. In my mind i think they acted alike with Scots or the Irish. The clan was stronger than the nation concept.

Slightly off subject, but that is true. I am a quarter Irish and feel a bond with the Southern Irish and moreso the Scots. Having West Country Devon/Cornwall on the other side gives me a fairly Celtic bias...!
My mother and aunt who are half Irish are very proud of their Irish ancestry and like to mention it.
My 'British' pride comes from things such as seeing the Battle of Britain memorial flight....which is more to do with our country pulling together as one and giving their lives for a common cause.
The Spartans were (and are still) a very proud people. Their concept of honour meant that the safety and survival of Sparta and her citizens came before all else.
The selection procedure at birth and the harsh upbringing of children was to ensure Sparta's strengh, on a principle of quality not quantity...
A small well trained army that fights as one family group gives much more than a larger army consisting of mismatched troops, no matter how strong the individual elements are.
A Spartan never lost their aspis in battle, as that meant they left fellow warriors unprotected and was considered a shameful crime. Hence the saying as the aspis was handed to the Spartan warrior by his wife or mother - 'e tan e epi tas' 'with it or on it'
If you think about it, both the Spartans and the Macedonians (historical context) were of a comman Dorian ancestry, both had a strong tribal identity and developed two of the most sucessful fighting armies of the period.
When you come to Romans, the actual proportion of soldiers from Rome itself was very small, many early soldiers were from the provinces and city states they conquered. As the conquests grew, the 'Roman' had a European nationality, rather like being a member of the EEC....!
regards
Arthes