Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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How Sparta, the most powerful Greek city-state, collapsed in only 20 years.

Upcoming historical tours: toldinstone.com/trips

My interview with Stephen Hodkinson: youtu.be/o8pcpIAb2O0

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Check out my other channels, @scenicroutestothepast and @toldinstonefootnotes

Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:38 Classical Sparta
1:29 Spartan politics
2:22 Helots
3:24 Population decline
4:37 Hubris
5:25 The Battle of Leuctra
6:42 Messenia liberated
7:35 Enter Macedon
8:08 Attempts at reform
9:08 Irrelevance
9:37 Roman Sparta