For at least two centuries the Spartan army was the most formidable war machine in Greece; the purpose of this book is to show the reasons for this. Professor Lazenby looks first at the composition, training and organization of the army, tracing its roots back to the eighth century BC. The second part analyses some of the main campaigns - Thermopylae, Plataea, Sphakteria, Mantineia, The Nemea, Koroneia, Lechaion and Leuktra. The final part continues the story to the end of Greek independence.