Ancient Sparta: How To Turn A Society Into A War Machine | Ancient Black Ops | Odyssey

History's elite warriors. The Spartan 300 had marked similarities to today's special forces. Within their ranks was a secret death squad, that aimed to kill the Persian king.
Odyssey is your journey into the world of Ancient History; from the dawn of Mesopotamia to the fall of Rome. We'll be bringing you only the best documentaries that journey into the mysteries and ruins of worlds long lost.
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[@helmort]

There's one critical detail overlooked by this amazing documentary. Historically, the Spartans numbered more than 300. While 300 were the hoplites, for each warrior, there were slaves or servants who aided with transportation, logistics, food, and caring for the wounded. These individuals fought not as the main part of the phalanx, but around it, using bows, slings, javelins, and whatever they had as light infantry. In reality, the true number of Leonidas' Spartan army at Thermopylae was between 450 to 700 individuals, possibly even more. Additionally, we must consider that alongside the Spartans were other Greek states: 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans, possibly up to 900 helots, and 1,000 Phocians, bringing the total number of Greeks fighting to nearly 7,000, excluding the servants and additional individuals. Nonetheless, this does not diminish the fact of their remarkable episode of resistance against the enemy. 💀

[@mb9326]

300 is what stayed for the final stand. The other Spartans, Arcadians, and some others numbered over a few thousand, but were sent back to spread the word to band together.

[@MileyCyrusSwollenGums]

​@@mb9326 That's actually not true I was there.

[@tonyantoniou9271]

It must be pointed out that Leonidas did not pick the best 300, because they were the best, though formidable they were chosen over others because they all had at least one son to carry on their line.

[@mattjack3983]

Yes! You are 100% correct. Very good bit of info to point out.

[@metalhead9849]

This is amatuer history telling at best....you are exactly correct. They need to visit a library.

[@EstbXCIII]

"..the 2 elite forces clash. Neither willing to give way.." Oh the Spartans were willing to give way.. but just enough room to cover the ground in more bodies.

[@parkmallbaby]

I remember seeing a documentary about Ancient Greek years ago probably in the late '90s. And one scene had a father being dressed by his entire family with his armor because he called for battle. I thought that was really amazing scene to look at.

[@tobaobokoomi1693]

This would make a cool movie!

[@RvnKnight]

Why are they carrying their shields upside down? It's a Lambda, not a V. It was a symbol of Lacedaemonia/Laconia, which was the name of their homeland.

[@user-McGiver]

all the foreigners know about the ''Lamda'' [L] on the shields is what they saw in the movie... that's based on the comic... that's why the wrong shields, swords, helmets, armors, storytelling, EVERYTHING!... but don't blame their enthusiasm... I bet they know less about their own history...

[@RvnKnight]

@@user-McGiver Granted that many do know less about their own history and only know ancient history based on movies and books, but there are some of us that study ancient histories too. Please don't over generalize a group based on a few observations for some of us might start spewing Minoan and Hellanic stories of old.

[@EstbXCIII]

The courage and sacrifice of the Spartan 300 is nothing short of super human.

[@Thusssle]

It was more like 5000 but 300 is close enough….

[@adamarchuleta6163]

Yeah because you were there.@@Thusssle

[@Thusssle]

@@adamarchuleta6163 what an absolutely hilariously ridiculous comment. Imagine someone who dismisses information based on whether someone was there or not. You seriously believe it was 300? Ever read accounts of people who were there?

[@EstbXCIII]

@@Thusssle I'm aware that it it was probably more.. regardless though, they were still massively outnumbered by a huge invading force. Even as their numbers dwindled they still chose to fight to the end. For that reason they deserve to be immortalized by history.

[@tresjordan982]

The whole Spartan myth smells to high heaven!! The word lacksdaisical comes from Lacedemonia their home…..if it wasn’t war it was laying about while the slaves did all the work!! They were a society of sociopaths and it was a very short history!!

[@alexandergatos2159]

Shame they don't even mention the other expeditionary Greek city state forces. They also sacrificed all in the battlefield without the demand that they stay and die.

[@jacobkuntflapp]

But that demand and commitment makes all the difference

[@shaundavenport621]

Sphacteria then blew the Myth apart! 😢Without taking anything away from them because for around two hundred years they were practically unbeatable in an open land Hoplite battle!

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

Only the Spartan nobility went through this routine growing up. Those who looked after the estates, the Helots were the equilivent of serfs & actually formed most of the rank ‘n file in Spartan armies during the Peloponnesian War, with the full citizens acting as officers. This was the same in the Spartan unit amongst Xenophane’s 10 000 in Persia, where they operated a mercenaries for the Spartan state (who got the payments). This was because over time full Spartans were too small in number by themselves

[@mb9326]

My favorite Spartan test was essentially the hunger games spliced with capture the flag. The younger students would have to raid the food cache, usually cheese or similar, while the older ones earning their place into the ranks had to play defense.

[@UnknownUnknown-px5cg]

Mean test

[@user-McGiver]

the Persians wanted to conquer Europe... and Greece was just a first step... just as Ukraine is now for ruZZia... I can't even imagine what ''Europe would be now if they had their way... that's why the Western world honors the ''300''...

[@deathtocommunists5]

CAG > DEVGRU Watched them both on ISR many times. DEVGRU is like best the group of humans on Earth. CAG is like a group of algorithmic automatons who never miss a single detail.

[@corystephenson577]

Most noticeable mistake is the guy with the dad bod leasing the 300 …

[@user-wk4or3oi6p]

Nobody ever mentions the Spartan attempt at assassinating Xerxes.

[@metalhead9849]

Failures are ignored by those who write about the battles.

[@christopherk140]

Always amazing to know when human spirits becomes cohesive…. The accomplishments that can be achieved.

[@DJJ81]

These guys aren’t real Spartans. They’re not 3/4 naked bodybuilders, which is how Spartans looked according to the epic, historically accurate biopic 300. 😊

[@MysticChronicles712]

Indeed, the most exceptional fighters of all time! When compared to modern special forces, the courage and expertise of the Spartan 300 were second to none. Their resoluteness and the fact that they are part of a clandestine killing squad assigned the risky task of assassinating the Persian monarch are what set them distinct. This film does an excellent job of summing up their renown achievements and the strategic genius of bygone battles. A fascinating look into the most fearsome fighters of all time!

[@mb9326]

They were the best at the Phalanx. They would do foot work and dance exercises so they could shift the ranks faster if they were being flanked.

[@MysticChronicles712]

@@mb9326 thanks for your information

[@dammitdan106]

It was mechanical slaughter rather than war? Is there supposed to be a difference?

[@Haribo7432]

Yea he means it was more like a factory farm production line of killing. Rather than a back and forth of attack and counter attack

[@Davey148]

xerxes looks like zach galifianakis lol

[@DjeneralCCCC]

They compared Spartans with sas 😂 ffs that's hilarious

[@mb9326]

They should remember the Spartans when allowing woke whimps to be combat soldiers.

[@renachristodoulou4709]

Leonidas not lendios similar but different.

[@manuelalombardi1237]

Nice but not too accurate with regards to numbers, criteria on which the 300 were chosen to go to war, warriors uniforms etc, etc

[@jamesdill2197]

I only learned a few years ago that another 700 to 1000 other Greeks died with the Spartans

[@user-pe4ex2eg5f]

What really defeated the Persians was the naval battle at Salamis which cut off their supplies.

[@geoffreymarshall639]

The Persians stayed in Athens for about a month after Salamis. The army only had to retreat because the main mass of troops were farmers who needed to get back to harvest the crops.

[@mb9326]

It was a 2 part campaign, Athens rocked the Seas, while Sparta cut off the land marches, which allowed time for the city states to stop their squabbles and band together.

[@gerryhouska2859]

They had to retreat because they were beaten in the battle of Plataea. @@geoffreymarshall639

[@joelamthach5812]

…they walked right into their traps

[@motaman8074]

The boy is a teen from Roman age Egypt. He has nothing to do with Sparta. Lazy....

[@arissarkides1380]

There's an interesting video about the Spartan drill by Schwerpunkt that I strongly recommend

[@9wyn]

@@scottmcfarland2149 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYS0l2Chg6iJoq8feature=shared

[@bine35]

stop spamming

[@leroymontoya1725]

DELTA Best of the best

[@bradrichards8122]

Don't forget folks, Odyssey is infotainment. Lax on accuracy, heavy on asthetic. Don't take these vids as documentary, they are closer to fiction than to fact.

[@tonyantoniou9271]

They are lax though I would not go as far as to say that they are closer to fiction rather then fact. despite their potrayals leaving a lot to be desired.

[@user-McGiver]

and here you are recognising what you see and denying it... I haven't watched it yet but the footage is authentic from Greek formations and how we keep our tradition alive... not some down paid ill-informed extras from a movie with no idea of what was what...

[@bradrichards8122]

@user-McGiver That's a lot of commentary on a video you admit to having not watched. Odd you make the accusation of willful denial, then proclaim authenticity without seeing it.

[@Calle2433]

You have no clue what ur on about. I’m from Greece and we keep our traditions alive doing what’s shown in this video and he is correct on everything

[@bradrichards8122]

@@Calle2433 Be more honest Carlos Santana

[@cjyoung4080]

they turn into a toothpick machine

[@mattpavey3062]

You can't RE PRODIGY ME HAHA

[@mariajukejax9649]

Μολών Λαβέ!

[@user-McGiver]

''COME AND GET IT!'' for the English speakers... ΑΟΥ! ΑΟΥ! ΑΟΥ! [μεταξυ μας]

[@cnilecnile6748]

Yay! Got the first comment for once, lol

[@unengashqiperia]

Yay! Got the first reply

[@fruitingfungi]

🍪

[@fruitingfungi]

​@unengashqiperia 🍪

[@onechristianwallace]

The most romanticised a** whooping of all time 😂😂😂

[@Scipioafricanus998]

Ultimately the baby's killers were the down fall of Spartans society.

[@carlthompson1230]

Leonidas was at the head of about 7000 Greek troops. I don't know why this doesn't mention them. The 300 stayed behind so the 7000 could flee and warn the rest of Greece. E tan e epi tas

[@LarsonPetty]

Never let facts get in the way of a good story.

[@user-McGiver]

@@LarsonPetty more than 1500 stayed behind... at that point, they all knew that was a ''last stand'' we honored their sacrifice... but we paid more attention to the Spartans for many reasons... one is that they chose 300 men with already a boy, to keep the bloodline, so they expected to die all, second the Spartans were very distant to the rest of the Greeks... brutal, kinda what the ruZZians were [before they turn to orcs] after the fall for the rest of the world... weird, strange but very [too much] forgiven for being like that... we never really understudy them... and most of what we know was/is pure propaganda [killing disabled k8ds, never surrender, etc...we have proof now... ] I promise you... if that French monk hadn't destroyed everything left of Sparta during the Ottoman occupation, Sparta wouldn't be surrounded by that veil of myth... it would be like any other major city-state... it's the ''loss'' that builds the myth... [Spartan here, living overseas...]

[@mb9326]

Historians know this. They focus on the 300 because it was basically a suicide mission while showing Persia what real soldiers can do.

[@luisvelez5695]

British SAS are the best in the world ,seal team 6 is 2

[@marcus92306]

#1 in the world are the one's we don't know of.

[@phillipcollins1103]

The narrator in these documentaries really needs to learn how to use the past tense in the English language..quite basic and taught in infant school I’d imagine

[@vladimirboskovic]

they lost most batlles they fought calling them elite is totaly wrong but today anyone can write history

[@TRENTONMADEME1990]

See me im just as foul as ya but you aint got no style in ya

[@davea6314]

"Spartans lived a spartan lifestyle." -Dad joke alarm goes off.

[@BenSna-vo4wd]

Funny how we still belive in myths and fairy tales same way as if they were real😅

[@BIGPINKMAN]

🤍🤍🤍💪🏻👍🏻

[@joelamthach5812]

Whatever it is they did whoop a lots behinds

[@vectorfox4782]

Biggest LARP event ever.

[@joelamthach5812]

Welll it was a wrong plan that got them Persians whooped…

[@travhammer]

I am the Eromanes to my Spartan warrior.

[@Shervin86]

Lol what happened to this video? Compared to all your other videos you couldn't find lower budget costumes and actors? 😂😂😂😂

[@joelamthach5812]

Persians got whooped

[@jacyl21222]

This a history document on the Spartans or a propaganda piece for the SAS and Seal Team 6?

[@joelamthach5812]

Whatever it is Greek is center of Western culture and politics… Rome came from them in the way… believe or not

[@robertopena8645]

They where gay. Or some gay army beat em

[@metalhead9849]

If you aren't going to tell this history accurately why bother? First, there were many more than 300 ...this is only the number for Spartans. Then, you show them with/ without footware...make up your mind. Here, let me help..the Spartans NEVER wore shoes...I can't watch such crap. I'm outa here.

[@BonesyTucson]

Sparta also died out early due to their ridiculous policies, reliance on slavery, and inability to breed enough Spartans. Very little worth emulating there.

[@apollow_g1025]

Yea they were super gay too

[@user-McGiver]

@@apollow_g1025 YOU WISH THEY WERE TO FIND A REASON FOR YOUR PURE EXISTENCE PUNK!...

[@jerry12314]

@@apollow_g1025 This nonsense again. "Muh Ancient Greeks were gay" is modern nonsense. There were people who engaged with homosexuality but its not common and was frowned upon.

[@jerry12314]

Spartans are not emulated for their 'civilization' or government. People emulate Spartans for their individual discipline. To paraphrase HDF Kitto. "Athenians developed and contribute the world with their literature and the arts while the Spartans contribution was development of men, the law of virtue of the individual and the citizen".

[@geoffreymarshall639]

Sparta died out because when a man died his widow inherited his land. You could only be a Spartan if you owned land. If the widow remarried and then this husband died you had two farms joined to make one. Slowly the Spartans shrank in numbers as the farms became bigger. To counter this the Spartan warrior class was diluted with none Spartans. It may even be that they had Helots fight.

[@joe9092410767]

"I'd lovve to do battle but i just washed my hair"

[@moctezu82]

Good documentary when it's about the Spartans but the music and videogame like treatment of modern soldiers is kind of cheesy