The Ultimate Spartans Quiz | Ancient Greece

Answer: Menelaus

Helen has gone down in myth as possibly one of the most beautiful women of all time and often called 'the face that launched a thousand ships'.

Answer: Red

Hoplites may have been named after their two handled shields. In Greek the word Hopla which included the shield also meant a warrior's arms and armour collectively. The full Hoplite equipment was termed a Panoplia.

Answer: Demaratus

Demaratus' exile was voluntary since Sparta rejected him and, not being democratic, could not vote him into exile as the Athenians did to Themistocles. This makes his move to the Persian side more treacherous.

Answer: The Peloponnesian League

The League grew up with Sparta at its head, to unite all the nations of the Peloponnese. Unlike modern alliances like NATO, the members of the League were not all allied to each other. Each member of the League was allied individually to Sparta, although some were also allied to each other as well.

Answer: Marry a good man, and bear good children

Queen Gorgo is one of only a few ancient Greek women whose words have come down through the ages. Spartan women had much more of a role to play than elsewhere in Greece.

Answer: So much the better, we shall fight them in the shade!

A Spartan named Dieneces made this famous reply during the Battle of Thermopylae. Spartans always regarded arrows as a woman's weapon. In its way this phrase epitomizes the spirit of the 300.

Answer: Plataea and Mycale

The alliance of Greek states was under Spartan control for political reasons, since they needed the Spartans to be with them. The Battle of Plataea was fought on land while Mycale was a sea battle. Xerxes was not in Greece at the time having fled after the Greek victory at Salamis.

Answer: The Crypteia

The Crypteia controlled the Helots using a variety of methods from simple fear to outright murder. The organisation used the night as a cloak for its activities which helped spread fear and even terror. The average age of a member was 18.

Answer: Xenophon

Xenophon was given a country retreat near Olympia by King Angesilaus. Using the spoils of war he built a temple to Artemis. This was due to her patronage of his favourite sport - hunting.

Answer: Ephialtes

Herodotus states that Ephialtes showed the Persians the Anopaea path which led to the rear of the Spartan position. With hindsight many have said Leonidas should have sent more troops to guard the path.

Answer: Lacedaemonians

The name Sparta has rung through history. In Sparta, Wisconsin, there stands a Spartan statue with an S emblazoned on the shield. When going to war the Spartans referred to themselves as Lacedaemonians and bore the Lambda symbol (an inverted V) upon their shields.

Answer: Cynisca

Spartan girls had almost the same education as the boys. Competing in athletic pursuits completely naked, they were also keen on horses. Cynisca (sister of Agesilaus II) won her victory crown when she entered her four horse chariot team.

Answer: The SAS

Male Spartans were forbidden any other path than that of the study and practice of war. They were a uniquely professional and motivated force. They executed mass maneouvres with a precision alien to many others.

Answer: Argos

From as early as the late 7th century BC these two states were on a collision course. A pitched battle was fought in 669BC at Hysiae and Argos won. In about 545BC the Spartans gained revenge. The two states continued to fight until the end.

Answer: King Agesilaus II

The year 396BC had been momentous for Agesilaus. It saw him granted the supreme command in Asia after he persuaded the authorities of his suitability. It had also seen his sister's victory in the Olympic games (although the triumphant inscription does not mention the male driver).