Did the Spartans only use music for military purposes?
The Spartans did use music in military contexts. Various sources attest to the practice of campaign war-songs and marching music. However, the claim that the Spartans focused only on military music – at the expense of any interest in non-military music – is simply incorrect.
Was the earth of Carthage salted after its fall during the Third Punic War?
It is often claimed that following the destruction of Carthage by the Romans, the lands of the city were salted to prevent future generations living there. But is there any evidence to support this?
Were there any Roman survivors at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest?
In AD 9, three Roman legions under the command of Publius Quinctilius Varus were ambushed and destroyed in the Teutoburg Forest in Germania. Were there any survivors?
Were elephants given wine before battle?
Some ancient sources claim that elephants were given wine before battle in order to rouse them into a fighting frenzy. But was this practical or even safe?
Did the Spartans throw babies down mountains?
It is often repeated that the Spartans practiced an institutionalised form of eugenics, part of which included the disposing of “imperfect” babies . Modern archaeology, and historical studies, have brought this story under serious scrutiny.
Did the Spartans bring their war dead back on their shields?
It is often said that the Spartans returned their war dead back to Sparta on their shields, due in no small part to a famous quote in Plutarch.
Were pigs set on fire to fight elephants?
The idea that ancient armies would set a pig on fire sounds like the fantasy found in computer games, but the claim it is not as ridiculous as it may first appear.
Did Leonidas say “molōn labe” at the battle of Thermopylae?
Molōn Labe has become a go-to phrase to denounce political authorities removing the perceived rights of citizens, and its origins in Spartan history is used to solidify its meaning as a righteous stand against oppression.