Did you enjoy 300 (Either the movie or the comic)? Do you not know as much about the realities of ancient Greek life as you might like? Then a series of articles written by Dr. Bret Devereaux of North Carolina State University might be of interest to you. In seven articles (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII), Devereaux takes on the myth of Spartan supremacy in a number of realms, including the modern obsession with Spartan military brilliance.

The Battle of Thermopylae, in which a small number of Spartans stood against the might of the invading Persian army, makes for a great story. A popular retelling of this story, 300, is a good hook to draw in any audience before providing them with more accurate historical information. However, Devereaux’s use of 300 goes beyond this. Most apparently, scenes from the movie are placed throughout the article so that their inaccuracy can be commented on. More interestingly, by peppering references to this clearly fictitious source in between references to the real sources - Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Aristotle and Plutarch - Devereaux reinforces a point he states consistently:

Sources cannot always be trusted

Just as we have our own preconceptions and biases about the Spartans, so did the Greek sources who wrote about Sparta and its society (not all of whom wrote while the Spartans were still around).

Furthermore, Devereaux gently talks us through the difficulties of interpreting those sources. This element of the articles is a brief education on the work of historians. It is just as important as anything about Sparta you might learn by reading this collection.

Finally, Devereaux writes in a conversational tone that draws the reader in, and lowers the barrier to entry of even quite serious subject matter. These articles feel less like a lecture and more like an engrossing story at a dinner party; Devereaux certainly shares a knowing grin from time to time. A thoroughly enjoyable read!