01-22-2008, 03:06 AM
As Stephanos points out, the fear of Persia seducing some percentage of her polis into alliance or neutrality was probably very real to the Spartan leadership. The Persians had afterall a Spartan King at court. They may have used such an extreme and sacriligious act as a means of pushing their own citizens beyond a diplomatic point of no return through shared guilt.
You do realize that all the nubile girls danced naked at the Carnea? Given the choice between watching that and saving the Athenians from invasion I think they chose wisely.
On a slightly more serious note, they did march after the festival and seem to have expected there to be some Persians to fight. It would be sound strategy to let the Athenians take a beating, then show up to win the day. Religion in Sparta was always used in a most convenient manner.
Quote:This, from memory, happened before Marathon. So therefore the "beyond limits" and "die than submit" was left to Athens. Sparta preferred religious ceromony to the above high ideals...not for the first nor last time.
You do realize that all the nubile girls danced naked at the Carnea? Given the choice between watching that and saving the Athenians from invasion I think they chose wisely.
On a slightly more serious note, they did march after the festival and seem to have expected there to be some Persians to fight. It would be sound strategy to let the Athenians take a beating, then show up to win the day. Religion in Sparta was always used in a most convenient manner.
Paul M. Bardunias
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A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
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A Spartan, being asked a question, answered "No." And when the questioner said, "You lie," the Spartan said, "You see, then, that it is stupid of you to ask questions to which you already know the answer!"
