[PBS] Spartans

[Mark]

Spartans
British historian Bettany Hughes traces the blood-soaked rise and fall of ancient Greece's military utopia, “one of the most radical and extreme civilizations that history has ever known.” The Spartans settled in Greece's Peloponnese sometime around 1000 B.C., and set up a society that was frugal, disciplined and totalitarian, but also egalitarian (except for their many slaves), and was centered on its “warrior elite.” Indeed, says, Hughes, “the whole of Spartan society became, in effect, a military training camp.” It worked for some 300 years, beginning around 650 B.C., when the Spartans enslaved their neighbors, the Messenians. But when they made their society, they made it hidebound. “Sparta,” Hughes says, “made an enemy of change itself.”

Is this, or has this been, airing elsewhere around the country (USA) and has anyone watched it?

 

[JoeGKushner]

They had something on the BBC or Discovery Channel not that long ago that focused on the group that fought at the pass and held off for a while the Xeres army including his 'Immortals', the undefeatble enemy.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

The previous one was on Discovery and was called "Gates of Fire" (which is apparently the translation of Thermopylae).

Didn't get to see the one on PBS, but I'm sure they'll play it again soon...

 

[Black Omega]

Sounds like a two or three part thing they had on..History Channel? Rise and Fall of the Spartans. I still have it on tape someplace. Pretty cool.

 

[Kesh]

Saw most of this last night. Pretty good, if a bit quick.

 

[Orius]

Is this, or has this been, airing elsewhere around the country (USA) and has anyone watched it?

I saw it, like a week ago (been away from the groups for a while and checking up on old threads). It wasn't too bad.

 

[Ranger REG]

Is this, or has this been, airing elsewhere around the country (USA) and has anyone watched it?

It aired in Hawaii last Wednesday (Aug 6) around 8pm, local time. Taped it and recently watched it. Very educational and yet pretty much killed my romantic view of the warrior state prior to watching the show.

 

[Anavel Gato]

it wasn't bad. I saw a good deal of it last around aug. 6th or 7th I think...there is an article in military heritage about the battle of thermpolye and in that article they go over alot of what was covered in this Spartans special...

 

[Daiymo]

Saw it last week. Pretty good, better IMHO than the Discovery Channel show which was just about Thermopaylae. Gives a nice unglamorous snapshot of a still fascinating culture.

 

[nHammer]

Watched it. I didn't know the Spartans were that nasty. It was a good program.