Sparta Forum

Sparta Journal at Tiwtter

Nikolaos — Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:44 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:44 pm

Now Sparta has its Twitter account. You can get informed of news and links on ancient Spartan and Greek history by subscribing in the new Sparta's Twitter Feed (RSS) or visit it quite often.

Visit it us at Twitter here.

Sparta: Comparative Approaches

Nikolaos — Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:40 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:40 pm

Sparta: Comparative Approaches edited by Stephen Hodkinson is the newly published volume for ancient Sparta by the Classical Press of Wales.

You can find the title here.

Current Issue: Forum Registration

Nikolaos — Sat Feb 13, 2010 3:58 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 3:58 pm

There is a current issue which is been recorded by our Customer Support and is regards the registration page of our Forum.

Please find the temporary solution of the problem here.

I cannot Register to the Forum. How can I solve it?

Nikolaos — Sat Feb 13, 2010 3:53 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 3:53 pm

Dear readers,

We received a number of messages lately for our readers which regard the problem/fault that exists in the Forum's registration page: regardless that the user fills the required fields which are noted with an asterisk ( * ) still he had the error message "You must fill in the required fields."

The registration is working properly, however, it requires additional fields to be filled that fails to denote in both the error message and with an asterisk.

To register you should fill in the fields with the asterisk and the following three: Location, Occupation and Interests.

After filing the above three additional fields you will be able to register with no further faults.

Thank you all for informing us for the issue, and we are working towards fixing it once and for all.

Redesigning our web-site

Nikolaos — Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:48 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:48 pm

Dear readers and subscribers, you should be able to view the new design and structure of our periodical�s web-site. The original design of the template is by Arcsin, and we are glad that we find it. It is clean and at the same time provides with the space to offer the appropriate number of links to our contents.

We still however need to re-code the web-site�s structure; as a result the login facility of our e-subscribers is not currently available. However, we will soon finalize the re-coding and the electronic content will be once again available for our e-subscribers.

You may also come across with a number of inconsistencies, i.e. broken links, misplaced images and text. These unfortunately are still sometimes visible and we are working to fix them.

I hope that in the next couple of weeks the web-site is going to be fully functional, so that you all going to enjoy its offered services and information as well as its forthcoming goodies.

Doric Krete and Sparta, home of Greek philosophy

WHEELER — Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:48 am

Author: WHEELER

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:48 am

I posted earlier that the Natural Law does not teach equality.

There are more reasons that the the Natural Law does not teach equality and that is because the whole of the Natural Law is predicated upon Inequality!

What are the principles of the Natural Law? Righteousness, Combinatorial system, Harmony, the Golden Mean.

How can any of these things work or even be if everything is equal?

They would all disappear!

Righteousness is based on the Nature of it. If Righteousness declares that a thing can only do one thing good that its nature suits it for----in order for a complexity of tasks to be done, there has to be diversity and hence inequality! One can't have righteousness without inequality.

If all things are equal---then why Combine things? There is no need.

Harmony is the unity of the high and low. If all things are equal, or in Masonic Thomas Jefferson's saying, all men are created equal, how can there be harmony if there is equality. If there is equality, there can be no "high or low"!

The Golden Mean. It doesn't exist in equality---but in Inequality.

Equality destroys the whole of the natural law! The Natural Law is all based on the essential premise of reality that all things are diverse and UNequal!

How come the Church that preaches the Natural Law with all their Ph.Ds figure this out? Reality is not based on equality. There are some serious errors out there. It is no wonder then that the Natural Law is no where in any discussion and is mainly missing from many minds. There is no concept of this because it is not used anywhere. You can't preach equality and the Natural Law together at the same time.

Something is terribly wrong in Modern thought. That is probably why the Natural Law has disappeared.

Aspects of Spartan Constitution

WHEELER — Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:33 am

Author: WHEELER

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:33 am

This post was be replicated in two other threads because it is very important and many people, I'm guessing, will not figure this out.

In my paper, "Doric Crete and Sparta, the home of Greek Philosophy", I wrote that "the establishment of the Senate is the signature characteristic of a republic".

Why did I say this?

(from my paper "The Classical definition of a republic" at Wikinfo.)

Quote:

"Cicero marks the beginning of the Roman commonwealth when Romulus "gave complete obedience to the auspices" and the foundation of the Senate".

The modern definition of a republic is "any government without a king". This comes from Machiavelli who divined that from Livy.

Why everybody quotes Livy is beyond me. Cicero wrote a book De republica and why no one quotes him---I'm stumped.

In order to do political science for the Romans, one had to participate in Roman politics and hold offices.

Livy didn't do any of this. Cicero did.

Cicero knew and read Greek---Livy probably did not.

Cicero visited Athens and went to school there---Livy did not.

Cicero was a Roman lawyer---Livy was not.

Cicero wrote a book on republics---Livy did not.

----yet, everybody uses Livy as an authority.

I took my conclusion that the beginning of republican form of government is the establishment of the senate from Cicero who wrote a book on the Republican form of government. This is the basis of what I said. Cicero clearly marks the beginning of the Roman Republic under a king with the establishment of the senate. This marks the beginning of mixed government. As Cicero has marked, I followed in his wake. He is an authority; an ancient authority.

For more info on this and sources and references please see Machiavelli's Errors. I can't figure out for the life of me why so many turn their back on Cicero and adopt Livy for!

-------------------------------
Along with Cicero, the establishment of an official parliment and especially the upper house, the House of Lords, as in the case of England, marks it as a Republic, a Classical Republic.

The Spartan Republic

WHEELER — Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:26 am

Author: WHEELER

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:26 am

This post is going to be replicated in two other threads because it is very important and many people, I'm guessing, will not figure this out.

In my paper, "Doric Crete and Sparta, the home of Greek Philosophy", I wrote that "the establishment of the Senate is the signature characteristic of a republic".

Why did I say this?

(from my paper "The Classical definition of a republic" at Wikinfo.)

Quote:

"Cicero marks the beginning of the Roman commonwealth when Romulus "gave complete obedience to the auspices" and the foundation of the Senate".

In Search of Sparta

Nikolaos — Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:59 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:59 pm

Author and an expert of the ancient Spartan world Helena P. Schrader publishes her first article in Sparta forthcoming issue entitled 'In Search of Sparta':

Quote:

If you drive down the modern road from Tripoli (or Tegea as I prefer to think of it) toward Sparti (Sparta) there is a moment when coming around a bend you can catch the first glimpse of Taygetos. I will never forget the first time I encountered that view: it took my breath away. I could hardly concentrate on the winding road for straining to get another glimpse of those spectacular mountains. And when the valley of the Eurotas was spread out before me it was like revelation. My image of Sparta � Ancient Sparta and all that Sparta implied � was transformed in a single instant.

Follow the forthcoming articles here.

Musings on Sparta's Muses

Nikolaos — Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:56 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:56 pm

Our new member of the Editorial Board, Mr Owen Rees presents with a very interesting paper entitled 'Musings on Sparta's Muses'. The Abstract follows:

Quote:

The Muses were, to the Graeco-Roman world, the source of artistic expression; inspiring songs and dances to go beyond the human realm and enter that of the gods. Even today, the word �muse� is used to describe an artist�s inspiration and creative source. So, in an existence of emotional expression, sensitive creation and personal exploration, what place did the Muses have in the warrior culture of Sparta? What did their kings hope to achieve by, say, sacrificing to them before battle (Plutarch, Life of Lycurgus, 21)? Many ancient authors have given very short opinions on this topic, many modern scholars have considered it of little importance; however, with the growth of our understanding about the nature of combat, and with the use of comparative examples discussing the universal issues of battle, I believe a new understanding can begin to emerge.

Ultimately this is a question of whether there was room for creativity, in a culture that famously tried to curb individuality? but if so how?

The Muses may well be the key.

Follow our forthcoming articles here

Current Issue: Forum's Contact Form

Nikolaos — Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:50 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:50 pm

Currently still continues to have a problem with the Forum's contact form. The Captcha seems that is not working regardless of our efforts to solve it. We are sorry for any inconvenience that nay cause. Please use the magazine's contact form here.

SPARTA's Compentition for 2010

Nikolaos — Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:45 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:45 pm

One of our winning readers received the copy of the The Rise and Fall of the Spartans, which features four episodes investigating a number of aspects of Sparta's culture, lifestyle, history and the Battle of Thermopylae. That was one of the gifts we gave to our wining readers.

Soon the 2010 will bring to life the Volume 6 no. 1 (July 2010) in which five questions will challenge our readers once again. The gifts are not yet decided, though, once again we will try to give the best quality of educational material to our wining readers.

Forthcoming Book Reviews

Nikolaos — Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:37 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:37 pm

As you already know the appraisal was not yet published. There is no a problem whatsoever, though, the limit of pages drags this appraisal out of the under publication content. It is probable to include it only in its electronic form as free article.

Nikolaos wrote:

This is what I call a full critical appraisal of already published materials which specialize and introduce new concepts and ideas. Usually, 'critical appraisals' are part of the philosophy and arts rather than in humanities in general. [...]

Victor Davis Hanson (ed.), Hoplites: The Classical Greek Battle Experience. Routledge, 1991. Pp. 286. ISBN 0415098165. �22.99
Victor Davis Hanson, The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece. University of California Press, 2000. Pp. 303. ISBN 0520219112. �11.95

Quote:

In the early years of the 90s, Victor Davis Hanson, first published his ideas on the ancient Greek warfare and the hoplite�s phalanx war techniques. I examine in detail his two eminent published studies (books), which are both very influential and stand firm as the main resources of scholarly examination of the ancient Greek warfare.

Read the forthcoming Critical Notice soon in the fourth volume's first issue.

Terms and Conditions

Nikolaos — Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:32 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:32 pm

Terms And Conditions

This prize draw is open to all Σparta subscribers regardless of their area of residence aged 18 years or over, except employees of Markoulakis Publications or anyone else professionally or voluntarily associated with the periodical.
Details regarding how to enter as published form part of the terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Only one entry per person. Late, illegible, incomplete, defaced or corrupt entries will not be accepted. No responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of despatch will not be accepted as proof of receipt. The winners will be drawn at random from all those received by the closing date. If winning is dependent on answering a question correctly, then the winner(s) will be drawn at random from all correct entries received.
All entries must be received by the published closing date.
Winners will be notified by email or letter and their name and the name of their residence may be published for promotional reasons. The prize will be delivered to the winner's home address within 35 days of notification, unless the winner is notified otherwise. Prizes will not be awarded as a result of improper actions by or on behalf of contestants, illegal or otherwise.
The prizes as published are available on the date of publication. The prize is subject to availability and to any published restrictions. All prizes are non transferable and there are no cash alternatives.
The winner may be required to participate in publicity.
English law applies and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts shall prevail.

Rome: Total War

Nikolaos — Fri May 08, 2009 5:48 pm

Author: Nikolaos

Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 5:48 pm

Rome: Total War is a strategy game composed of turn-based strategy and real-time tactics. The player can simulate historical battles and fictitious battles. The game historical age was set during late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire (270 BC to AD 14). The game was developed by The Creative Assembly and released on September 22, 2004. It is the third game of The Creative Assembly's Total War series after the Shogun: Total War (28 March 2003) Medieval: Total War (5 November 2002).

The game offers mainly the three great Roman families the Julii, the Scipiones (named "Scipii" in the game) and the Bruti (called the "Brutii"). After the first campaign that is required to be played and finalized, the player can choose amongst other factions playable in the game. Three playable factions of Greek interest are the follows: the Greek Cities (which the leadership is based on Sparta), the Macedonians and the Thracians.

The Greek Cities' campaign requires the player to defeat or conquer the Macedonian and Thracian factions. Areas that the Greek Cities aquire from the beginning of the Campaign are the Syracuse (Sicilia Graecus), Sparta (Laconia), Rhodes, Thermon (Aetolia) and Pergamum (Phrygia). The player can acquire the following military unites: Peasants, Peltasts, Archers, Militia Hoplites, Heavy Peltasts, Hoplites, Armoured Hoplites, Spartan Hoplites, Militia Cavalry, Greek Cavalry, General's Cavalry, Incendiary Pigs (!), Onagers, Heavy Onagers and Ballistae.