The Entire History Of The Greco-Persian Wars - Sparta Ancient Greece Documentary

[@TheVaughan5]

I have to tell you, Pete Kelly, you are one of the very best channels on Y.T. Keep up the good work, you are brilliant!

[@frankievalentine6112]

Verdad

[@Baaliwood]

100%

[@VizlesRS]

Pete is the goat

[@ashtonbarwick6696]

Pete’s the 🐐

[@chadsknnr]

Agreed!

[@adaiku]

Saw a 'new' History Time video and told myself that I'd watch just a minute or two. Now suddenly an hour and a half has gone by. Great narration and captivating visuals. Didn't even think of looking away. So glad this channel exists. Thanks very much.

[@HistorywithCy]

I've watched/listened to pretty much all of your videos at some point during the last few years, but this might be my favorite, and not just because it's a topic I love. Great narration and loved the scenery... will definitely check out Arcas as well since I'm planning to trip to Greece sometime in next year. Thanks again for all the great work!

[@mtathos_]

Love you both so much man, thank you for the spread of knowledge in such compelling ways!!!❤

[@owenjunker2393]

Brother, watching your content makes me feel like a kid again. I remember when, at a young age, i realized the world had so much interesting and magical history to be discovered. It sparked a lifelong curiosity within me and has been a safe space for me in tough times. Still is, always will be. Words in a comment section cannot justify the impact of your work. You are what a teacher is supposed to be. Only your classroom is not confined to four walls. Thank you for what you do and the effort you put into its quality. I wish you all the best Pete Kelly.

[@DustinMichels]

Very sweet. I recently discovered these videos and also felt a childlike sense of wonder being rekindled

[@grindingice]

The best voice in the business. Love your work

[@andreasstavrou1963]

Despite the fact that I am Greek and I should have known all about these issues, I admit that this presentation contains and presents vividly not only the History of the Spartan State but also the spirit that prevailed in the Spartan Society at that time.

[@ΒασιληςΑκριβοπουλος-μ8ξ]

Αφού είσαι και έλληνας δεν ξέρεις τίποτα για την ελληνική..γιατί δεν έχει αρχαία η σπάρτη;;; Ποιος τα γκρέμισε και πότε..απτα πιο χαζά ας το πούμε ντοκιμαντέρ μέχρι τα 28 λεπτά άντεξα να δω

[@segante]

But this was all BS!! The war was an Athens-Persepolis war.. In the Marathon battle, Laconians arrived too late to even witness the battle! Salamis was basically a naval battle where Athenian trirems tortured the Persian fleet!

[@allrequiredfields]

Greece needs a new Sparta to repel the Turks.

[@BygoneUser1]

Some of it is a bit misleading/romanticized. Even in their day the Spartans were heavily romanticized by their contemporary Greeks, for just an example, Xenophon the Athenian clearly holds them in high regard due to his personal experiences & personal distrust of Athens' democracy. For this reason, you can take the primary & later-classical sources at face-value and still get a bit of a misrepresentation of the Spartans while using the best sources we have. Of course, to some extent this is a problem with all ancient and medieval sources, but it's a good-historians job to interpret and read between the lines. It reminds me of Donald Kagan, who admitted himself that he practiced almost no skepticism in his interpretation of ancient sources, and, in my opinion, often tried to hammer home a 'pro-West' kind of narrative with what he did interpret. Well, a lot of Greek & later classical authors did the same thing with their idealized 'aristoi' 'mixed constitution' view of the classical Spartans. Some notable examples that stood out to me was the assertion that Spartiates had some kind of equality. I mean, on a basic level they had the same equality that the ruling-class of every city-state did; ie. they didn't have to work labour or crafts to sustain themselves... They did call each other homoioi (equals), but this was just a title really. Kind of like saying 'comrade' in the USSR. Much like in the USSR, the Spartiates were not equal and there were certainly those who were 'more equal than the others'... There were absolutely rich Spartiates, and poorer Spartiates(I say poorer not poor- by design a Spartiate, like all hoplite & aristoi class people, could not be truly 'poor' by the standards of their day), despite the fact that they had state allotted land & helots, they still had inheritances & personal property like other Greek states. Furthermore, Spartan women did have more power compared to other southern Greek states (notably Athens, who is really our biggest window into classical greece source wise), but actually it seems like Spartan women started their big rise alongside the decline of Sparta as a state; basically as more Spartiates died in battle more and more wealth started to be concentrated into Spartan heiress' hands. Now, the ancient sources also tend to blame these heiress' and their desire to hold onto their power as part of the reason for the decline of the state- but I think we can safely put this aside as another example of the ancient greek supreme suspicion of the female sex(maybe suspicion is putting it lightly, maybe misogyny is a better word). The issue with this ancient romanticisation of Sparta is of course that, if you follow the story of the Spartans into the 4th century BC, it's clear that the state was far from this 'mixed constitution' valhallan utopia, what by todays standards we might call a fascists' wet-dream that is equal parts brutal and highly effective. Actually, it was a rigid society led by a xenophobic and conservative leisure class that frankly was not good enough at what they did not to die in battle & leave the state without the Spartiate manpower on which it completely depended. And that's exactly what we see happen, the pool dries up and they are not able to be replaced, debatably because of this xenophobic conservatism. By the time they start enfranchising people out of necessity, it's already far too late. The state itself wasn't progressive enough to be able to adapt to change, internal or external; once the old-blood dried-up, well, that was it. Compare this to the Roman Republic, later, which was also a highly martial oligarchic society but who, despite its outwardly xenophobic tendencies, had no issue in this regard due to its malleability and willingness to accept outsiders into its ranks, whether that be a cultural or class outsider(within reason). Finally, the big thing that isn't made clear here is that, Spartans, like all ancient Greeks & 99% of armies of the period(maybe you could argue the immortals were actual soldiers, or the Neo-Assyrians' supposed standing-army before that), were fundamentally just militiamen. The Spartan 'professional soldier' is perhaps a trope just as ubiquitous but no less wrong than the old viking with horned-helmet; they were no more 'professional' than comparable aristoi class citizens in other states(that is, none of them were constantly mustered, none of them were paid to remain at a constant state of readiness, none of them actually regularly drilled formations nor weapons training, nor built encampments, nor kept-up the other military related lifestyle hallmarks year-round). The reality is that, as far as we can tell, the fact that they even drilled at all was what made them stand out; other Greek poleis, we actually have no evidence of formation drilling-- probably they formed up in a phalanx a few times after mustering & proudly marched out like a rabble-roused mob seeking glory, only forming up into formation again once the enemy force was near & battle imminent. The Spartans on the other hand likely mustered and practice drills for a few days before & while on march, and that was it... The rest of their 'training', when not mustered, was just typical leisure class cardio-centric/athletic stuff... We don't see an actual standing army in Greece until the rise of Philip II of Makedon & his seizure of Athens' silver-mines in the Chalkidiki; and this is debatably the bigger half of the reason that Philip II was so damned effective against the Greek city-states. Furthermore, there is actually scant evidence to suggest what the Greeks had available to them in terms of arms and armor was necessarily technically superior to what the Persians had available. There is no real reason to believe that what the typical middle-class to aristoi style hoplite actually had for arms and armor was more in-depth/lethal than what, say, a Carian auxiliary or Persian Immortal had in their panoply. If anything, the difference might be in the focus on this style of infantry(ie. what proportion of the army was this style of infantry, not necessarily the raw numbers) ie. the Greeks didn't have as much light infantry in key positions & did not use small shields for their infantry at all(sure, some skirmishers would have had them for use with their side-arm but that was not integral to formations), and at large their infantry was one large shield-wall without obvious weak-points(at least head-on). But, really, we can't really assume that this was the case-- much like later it's not fair to say that the Roman scutum/gladius + pilum maniple was necessarily 'just more effective/better/more-advanced' than the sarissa phalanx. Regarding the pajama clad Persians being effortlessly swept aside by the big burly hoplites, well, it's just another classic 'traditional western historian' interpretation of the events; that the Greeks had arms and armor that so outstripped the mighty Persian Empire that their victory was some foregone conclusion... It often goes hand in hand with the earlier western views that eastern societies were destined to fall to western forces as they were despotic, not freedom loving, and were essentially decadent & constantly degenerating etc. etc... Both views are generally seen as reductive or outright misguided/wrong by modern scholarship. There are a lot of reasons that the Persians didn't succeed in their invasion of Greece, but they absolutely could have...

[@paganpoet3]

@@BygoneUser1 ...There are a lot of reasons that the U.S.A didn't succeed in their invasion of Vietnam, but they absolutely could have... There are a lot of reasons that the U.S.S.R didn't succeed in their invasion of Afganistan, but they absolutely could have... You get my poit right?

[@aceilingfan_420]

Please never stop giving us your quality work and time.. I've been interested in the Spartans since I saw Bettany Hughes' tv documentaries on them when I was a kid.

[@Wheremy-tacogo]

Been watching a lot of your stuff lately, always been really into history but for some reason your channel has flown under my radar until the past few months. Just gotta say I'm absolutely addicted to your videos. The information and the way you present it is nothing short of amazing! Thanks a lot for taking the time to spread the knowledge of our roots, it's still mind blowing to me that these stories can be told with oftentimes little to no written records from the actual period, it's awesome to take yourself to a time so far away it seems like a work of fiction. Super groovy stuff my man, please don't stop, people like you give me hope that my children will always have access to knowledge they are likely denied in our abysmal school systems. Peace brother! See you next time in the past!

[@ProvidenceNL]

Oh man its a GREAT day when History time uploads, thank you Pete!

[@mandalorfortytwo4557]

Thanks for a wonderful lecture on what really happened that day. I look forward to your next lecture 😊

[@HistoricalGreats]

Thank you for the amazing episode! 00:00:00 - The significance of Thermopylae and its sacred landscape to the Greeks is explored 00:05:00 - The Persian outriders' encounter with the Spartans at the wall 00:10:00 - The Spartan army 00:15:00 - The history of Persia and Greece 00:20:00 - The geography and history of Sparta 00:25:00 - The unique form of dual kingship 00:30:00 - The enslaved population in Sparta - helots 00:35:00 - Sparta's policy towards their neighboring regions 00:40:00 - The importance of the Persian Wars 00:45:00 - The diverse political structures of Greek civilization during the 8th and 7th centuries BC 00:50:00 - How the Persian War began 00:55:00 - The Persian general - Harold 01:00:00 - The Council of Greek Powers resist the invading Persian Force 01:05:00 - The motivations of those who joined the Persian side 01:10:00 - The Spartans, under the leadership of Leonidas, were able to defeat the Persian army despite being heavily outnumbered 01:15:00 - The final moments of the Battle of Thermopylae 01:20:00 - The aftermath of the Battle of Thermopylae

[@kaylynhewell8046]

The Lord's Work Thank you for it! This is great for showing the kids specific things since it's hard to get 8-15 year Olds to watch more than 15 mins of something. Just to let you know Pete... I use your videos as entertaining reference points on history they are learning about or are curious to know more. Top notch. All around!

[@DrCruel]

Once again the Thespians are unmourned and forgotten.

[@josephd.5524]

Completely left out the literal thousands of other Greeks who held the line, stop lying for shitty Spartans; they were a trash people who deserved to get wiped out.

[@MarcusHansen276]

Goddamn bro

[@Laotzu.Goldbug]

​@@DrCruelhe mentions them many times in the presentation

[@keddy5627]

The way you combined your sponsor with the subject matter was hilarious!!! 😂😂😂

[@swordsmen8856]

YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSSS!!!! ANOTHER !!!!!

[@Rockefeller.69]

LETS GO

[@adammiller4122]

You have quite literally become the go to source for top quality historical documentaries. Bravo to you sir, bravo.

[@AlanzFPV]

Oh boy! History time is back! Love the cameo 😊

[@jimbeaux89]

YESSSSS!!!!! At first I thought it said this was uploaded 7 years ago. Imagine my delight when I realized this video was uploaded only 7 hours ago and is brand spanking new!!

[@mithrandirthegrey7644]

2500 years later and this is still the most awe-inspiring last stand in all of history.

[@zac3392]

Davy Crockett disagrees…

[@mithrandirthegrey7644]

@@zac3392 Crockett doesn't even come close.

[@gib59er56]

Si vanwa na, Romello vanwa, Valinwa! Mae govannen na Istari! Gandalf Storm crow! May you bring good council in days of darkness. Will Rohan answer our summons think you? Indeed our doom is nigh and you come with ill tidings as is your wont.

[@mithrandirthegrey7644]

@@gib59er56 Be silent. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I did not pass through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm.

[@gib59er56]

@@mithrandirthegrey7644 That fool Hama, he has betrayed us!! I told him to take his Staff!! Westu Hal Theodin King!!

[@drock5404]

I've been searching for 20 minutes and FINALLY found one worth watching! Stoked I am.

[@andrewhill203]

Some of the best history content ever. Always lessons for current times.

[@johncourtney3295]

Another very fine piece of work, Pete. My favorite history KZbin channel. Consistent high quality. Well done, sir. Cheers from Iowa (USA)!

[@Julius_Dayne]

I have yet to see a video on this channel that disappoints me. Your telling of the fall of Leonidas and the fight to reclaim his body was simply sublime. Bravo!

[@stevenpatrick9213]

Your work is exemplary!!! A true modern day historian, we salute you sir!

[@neganrex5693]

@Faylum1 Very True. History is a victim of re-writing. I never trust anything printed after 1980. That's when we had real history.

[@theCosmicQueen]

He is a bard.

[@thegravelwalker]

That was outstanding Pete, thanks so much always look forward to when you drop a video.. Would love to see one on the ancient Gauls and the roman conquest, what a clash of cultures !

[@David-p9o1h]

Peter Kelly, the presentation of your videos is absolutely A1. I think your about the best thing on KZbin. To be honest. Thankyou so much for putting so much effort and enthusiasm into your content, it's fantastic.

[@xikimunki735]

Great production!!! Thnk u very much Mr.Kelly I really enjoyed this

[@Andy_Babb]

Just so freaking well done. I wish there was more than the four or five independent documentary maker channels like this.

[@Artsmitica]

Wonderfully crafted account of the history of Sparta. Both you and your brother, with your respective channels, are a godsend source of knowledge and understanding. Thank you.

[@Neuri]

I was like “I’ll just have another check see if the genius that is PK made another barnstormer” AND THERE IT IS OMG YESSSSSSSSSS! Thanks Pete for saving my chaotic head daily ❤

[@noahfecks7598]

Man, this guy never disappoints!

[@LiSa.N.J]

Best channel on yt for quality and information. So easy to watch and a great listen too.

[@Replicaate]

I am going to pour drink, get comfortable, and then listen to what will no doubt, be a spectacular documentary on an equally spectacular but oft-mythologized and misrepresented last stands of all time. Cheers, mate!

[@harolddburke4726]

My father was a career soldier and Sparta always fascinated me. Im a sailor myself. Dad told me if you like camping join the army. Thank you for History told again.

[@sforza209]

So you must not like camping? Since you joined the navy. lol your comment makes no sense. 😂

[@mattstakeontheancients7594]

Pete, you are the man. Your videos are so well narrated and informative. One of my favorite history channels. You know it’s good when other KZbin history channels (History with Cy) great channel as well comment on how good your videos are. I’m a sucker for long format history content so these videos always scratch that itch.

[@kenchesnut4425]

Amen brother..love the longer good videos..hate having to find something to listen to every 15.min..lol😊

[@kyllipaske6053]

Great historic details, beautiful language and absolutely stunning story telling. 10/5

[@diegoserranoperez3326]

Top documentary with actual historical commentary. Bravo!

[@patriciapalmer4215]

Pete, this is the finest profile of the Spartans I've seen on the net. Well written and incisive, your presentation was perfectly executed as was the film. Thank you for your time and effort, I much appreciate it. 👏 Patty.

[@chrisdancey3492]

This is possibly the best hour plus of my life on you tube totally blown away by your research and content I know want to travel and see grease and adsorb some of this it’s amazing history, thank you for sharing and the time you have put in to making this is fantastic you and the guys have smashed this for sure, thank you 🙏 again chris

[@briansmith7791]

This was absolutely brilliant! For future videos, how about the Hundred Years' War? Or, if it's not too modern, the Peninsular War of Wellington?

[@sonofalerik09]

You are a great narrator of history. I was entranced from the beginning and envisioning every story told.

[@Syzygy77]

Awesome!!!!! Thank you for your hard work, Pete.

[@philmstud2k]

Error at 4:27 saying that WWII battle took place during 1941 BC instead of 1941 AD.

[@Chard-O]

Just found your channel and was mesmerized by the vast detail and the comprehensive story told of the Spartan society. Incredibly well done and why I became an instant subscriber. Now on to view the rest of your library.

[@stormblessed8877]

Fantastic video as always. I would recommend for anyone that is interested in this battle to read the book Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. It is a fictional account of the battle and an excellent read. Looking forward to the next vid Pete. Keep up the amazing work!

[@dereknicholson7706]

Im a huge history buff most documentaries and history channels dont come close. The quailty and information is rarely ever seen, most just tell me what i already know. You manage to shine light on new facts or expand more on a topic, rather then just the highlights. So no matter what you come out learning something new big or small

[@szbyzan]

Have you done a doc on the beaker people? I seem to have a share of that DNA and would like to be able to find more info.

[@Carterp7]

Thanks!

[@subtropicalken1362]

Not exactly related to the “300” but Victor Hanson’s A War Like No Other about the Peloponnesian war which follows the battle at Thermopylae is a terrific explanation of the Greek city states and their antagonistic relationships to one another. Very in-depth.

[@allenlindsey1175]

here it is kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqSqdplsrM-tmac

[@gavhenrad]

Brilliant stuff. So informative and well put together. Thank you 👏

[@grec_o3008]

As a Greek and historian of ancient civilization, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this documentary..... Everyone needs to learn for this battle and this war as a whole.... Two great ways of life fight each other, in a war that changed the world forever...... I love the fact that you travelled across Greece to see all this. GREAT JOB

[@Theodoros_Kolokotronis]

“Honour to those who in their lives are committed and guard their Thermopylae. Never stirring from duty; just and upright in all their deeds, but with pity and compassion too; generous whenever they are rich, and when they are poor, again a little generous, again helping as much as they are able; always speaking the truth, but without rancor for those who lie. And they merit greater honor when they foresee (and many do foresee) that Ephialtes will finally appear, and in the end the Medes will go through”. Eternal Hellas 🔥🇬🇷

[@Steve-ys1ig]

Pete - your work is truly wonderful. True Documentaries that main stream media has forgotten how to do - inform and educate.

[@Philipk65]

That was a fantastic documentary Pete. Sparta you live by the sword, you die by the swird.

[@HelicopterHammy]

The way you say Leonidas is absolutely unforgivable

[@scottjosen2606]

No one knows the precise pronunciation as spoken during that period.

[@ShandyTheMan]

Actually no, what it shows is that he reads more than he watches/listens to more limited media/information. His none conventional pronunciation just shows that he has researched this topic far more than your mainstream exposure to it.

[@bluelotus.society]

Have you ever stopped to think that Americans don't know how to pronounce foreign words? The way the name is pronounced by American media like the movie 300 is NOT correct - sorry to hurt your sensitivities. The way *he* pronounces it, on the other hand, is the *actual way* the name is pronounced.

[@YaBoiFetz]

Really worth the wait. Awesome work mate

[@Xenronnify]

I've always loved Greek and Roman history, there's just something about it that resonates deep. I could listen to their history for days on end (and with your voice, I very well might)

[@laurelsilberman5705]

Another unbelievable entry in an already impressive portfolio of some of the finest history content on this platform. ❤

[@DaleNewnham]

Awesome work Pete! Really enjoyed the whole video which filled in so many gaps I had after watching Bettany and of course 300!

[@joshpratt0310]

Incredible work as always Pete truly fantastic very informative!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work. I’m already looking forward to the next instalment

[@arnechrsivertsen1128]

Hello! Orthodox Christian fan here:) Think it is important to say that the orthodox church in modern Greece does not venerate Helen of Troy, or any other pagan person for that matter. Just as well as the roman catholics, we venerate (not worship) other "Helens", like the mother of Constantine the great. Another thing , the statue of Critias 30minutes into the video is not Critias, but Antinoos, the lover of the roman emperor Hadrian. Thank you for your enjoyable work:)

[@bennigan88]

As an orthodox I was very surprised to hear that Helen of Troy is venerated by the church. I tried a Google search to find support for that claim, and found none. St. Helen is the mother of Constantine the Great, so could this be a mistake?

[@LABCHiMP]

You do great work. I listen to this channel while I'm working every night. I'd personally like to see an episode on the known history of Druids, as they are interesting.

[@torch_k8110]

Insanely well made documentary! Was only slightly disappointed that you did not point out that Themistocles convinced the Athenian citizens to give up the profits instead of lining their own pockets. I mean they were able to make 200 warships from that money so being able to convince people to give up that type of money is no small feat

[@DavidRamos-nz4bh]

Excellent sir! You are a great narrator and the content is fantastic. This should be shown in every school.

[@evolingwren]

Waaaaahoooo, a History Time!!! Yayayayay! Greetings, Pete!

[@dbreid903]

It was Dienekes who said “we will have our battle in the shade” he was one of the Spartan commanders under Leonidas

[@ziggystardust457]

This was amazing, i cant wait to have time to rewatch this!

[@dennispetersen9360]

Thanks for the great content. It would be really good to see a documentary on the ionian enlightenment that happened in the seventh century bc, on the ionian coast. No one has made any on youtube, and it changed the world

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Most wonderful historical coverage video about Spartans 13:58 thank you for sharing

[@nasosgerontopoulos5267]

Steven's Pressfield "The gates of fire" is a masterpiece book about this battle. Whoever wants to be inspired by the uniqueness and unpreceded bravery of the 300 should definitely read it.

[@ralfschultz5347]

I would suggest you read the original report which is the one of Herodotos. Still better, you learn some Ionic Greek and read the original. But I guess you are trying to advertise and make some money.

[@ProjectLukeMurphy]

Still to this day, I remember the character "Rooster" in that story and how they defecated in his shield and made him carry it during training.

[@peterkatsichtis2851]

I agree with u such a great book

[@chronics3311]

Excellent brother. you make the best historical docs I have ever seen hands down ... and I have seen thousands of them.. please, don't ever stop ..

[@TexasTeaHTX]

The God King Xerxes disapproves of this venture.

[@MarcusHCrawford]

Revisiting this one. I miss when I first discovered your channel and had years worth of videos to visit. But, and it’s a strong but, greatness doesn’t happen overnight.

[@henrimourant9855]

Excellent video. Have you read the recent book called "The Persians: The Age of Great Kings" by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones? I just finished reading it and it goes over a lot of the most recent research on them (especially information from the Persepolis tablets). Also anything by Tom Holland is awesome. He recently published a children's book on the Persian wars that I kinda want to read because he's trying to capture how religious Greeks themselves viewed the war (so in the book the gods are real and stuff). I should note however that the idea that there was "no slavery in the persian empire" isn't really true. The Persepolis tablets show that there was a class of slave laborers who worked on the construction of the cities.

[@zmmz1238]

That’s inaccurate. The Royal Records kept “obsessively” by the orders of a compulsive record-keeper, Darius, shows the EXACT opposite of what you’re stating. There was NO slave class at Persepolis or any other site in Persia proper. Every single burnt clay document indicate that EVERYONE was paid, but according to their classification. There wood-makers, stone masons, and general cleaning crews. They were all paid in silver or gold. There are also records showing a pregnant woman supervisor had rations and sadly increased by 1.5 times to compensate for her unborn child and needs. After 19 years of research I have never across a single literature or evidence to indicate there was slavery or bondage in an Achaemenid times. There were eunuchs castrated at birth to serve the royal families, and nobility, ditto about savants and concubines, but slavery was forbidden by both their prior polytheistic Mithraic religion, and the later monotheistic/dualistic Zoroastrianism. Recent discoveries have shone light on why exactly slavery was not accepted (these scholars who discuss this include, Dr. Gernot Windfur at the University of Chicago, Dr. Oric Basirov at the University of London, and the Hellenic expert, Prof. Tom Holland, Oxford). The only time we hear about the Persians having slaves are by via the Greeks, specifically from Herodotus. But that’s Greek language and way of seeing the world. The Persians did NOT however ban slavery on the empire contrary to popular beliefs. The Ionian Greeks and Lydians for example, must have a certain degree of domestic slave-labor. AND their distant cousins, the other wild, nomadic Iranians in the North, the Scythians, Sakas, Skudis, Sarmatians, Alans, from whose culture emerged the Amazons, certainly did have numerous slaves. Or, an slave-class. For more on the recent discovery on this read my article as well other writings in the comments section of this video. Hint…It was really Mithraism, not Zoroastrianism, that was responsible for the societies rejection of servitude.

[@henrimourant9855]

@@zmmz1238 Ok I'll quote from Llewllyn-Jones's recent book: "It is doubtful that these people [foreign unskilled laborers in Persepolis often called kurtash] entered Persia as economic migrants seeking wages. The Persepolis Fortification tablets do not support that view. They clearly reveal that the food rations kurtash received from the administration were enough only for survival and nothing more and, in fact, the food doled out to the kurtash was only distributed at a subsistence level. For the workers, the risk of starvation was never far away. The kurtash of the Fortification tablets were not in Persia of their own free will to earn a wage. They had been brought there forcibly, in very large numbers, and were exploited by the Persians through direct coercion regardless of whether they were only temporarily located there or were settled in Persia for life. Usually kurtash were prisoners of war (the 'booty of the bow', as they were termed) recruited from those who had rebelled against Persian rule or had put up resistance to the Persian army. The Persepolis tablets make clear that, for the majority of the workers, their placement in Persia was permanent and that they had been uprooted from their homelands and deported there specifically to create an enslaved labour force. Babylonia alone was obliged to supply the Persian king for these purposes an annual tribute of 500 castrated boys. These lads were taken from their families and transported east to Pārs." (The Persians, p. 167-168) And are you referring to the Tom Holland who wrote Persian Fire? As far as I know he is not a professor and he has endorsed the book I just quoted above.

[@zmmz1238]

“On The Kurtas & The Persepolis Tabkets” “In the Elamite version of the Behistun inscription kurtaš is the equivalent of Old Persian māniya-(in the Babylonian version it is rendered with a term meaning “hired laborers”) This term is attested in the Aramaic letters of Aršām, the satrap of Egypt in the 5th century b.c., in Babylonian texts of the Achaemenid period in the form garda/u, and in Elamite documents from Persepolis as kurtaš (see G. R. Driver, Aramaic Documents of the Fifth Century B.C., Oxford, 1957, p. 63). These persons were workers of the royal household and of the households of Persian nobility in Iran, as well as in Babylonia and Egypt. The overwhelming majority of kurtaš consisted of foreigners. In terms of their composition and legal status, the kurtaš were not homogeneous. In all probability, there were among them a significant number…who were prisoners of war, a few free people who worked voluntarily for wages, and some individuals who were temporarily working off their labor service. Thus, with the passage of time the word kurtaš acquired the broader meaning “worker.” Our information on privately owned slaves in Iran is scanty and haphazard. A Babylonian slave sale contract from Persepolis has been preserved and dated to the reign of Darius I. However, the contracting parties as well as the slave himself were Babylonians (see M. W. Stolper, “The Neo-Babylonian Text from the Persepolis Fortification,” JNES 43, 1984, pp. 299-303).”

[@zmmz1238]

Concubines, eunuchs, servants and other laborours were not on par with slaves, and were not held against thejr will. It was more of societal obligations and norms. There is close to ZERO evidence that shows great number of populations were deported to Achaemenid Persia. That’s Dr. Jone’s interpretation. Although the captivity of prisoners of war in Persia can be estimated to be in thousands. The war prisoners were soldiers and those rebels who made military campaigns against the empire, there were no civilians as it mostly went against the Persian primitive notions of chivalry. Certainly the the rebellions were dealt with heavy-handed. These were also the same people (the Persians) whom the Jews equate with liberation in the Jewish Testaments. The Cylinder states they were other tribes as well who were “returned to their lands”. This collaborates with the Old Testament. So these sources are to be considered also. The short answer: There was no institutional slavery per as that we know of in Persia proper, and certainly not by ancient standards. Privately-owned slavery in Iran proper seems frustratingly difficult to assess. There does appear to be “scant” evidence of it occurring, but it’s rare, and the single written evidence we have is the receipt of a slave-sell that in involves a female slave, her owners and a Babylonian buyer. The seller and the slave seem to be of Iranian decent. The rest of the receipts of a number of slave-trades from Persepolis records indicate all other sellers and buyers were Babylonians. In all, the harsh survivalist mountain and stepe-lifestyles and struggles of the settled (and I emphasize that word) Iranians in general might have contributed to a society were all abled-bodies were to participate in daily chores and labour and the defense of the land against marauders, including girls as much as the boys. From this “all-hands on deck” cultural existence a sort of unintentional equality among classes emerged, where Mastery over another was not economically significant, nor its luxurious notions given much thought.

[@darthnigga5337]

"No slavery in the persian empire" 41:30, very cringe since there are multiple sources including persian ones that state they did have slaves, apart from that nice work!

[@shaiaheyes2c41]

Yes, that was an odd comment indeed...

[@philmstud2k]

Supposedly under Cyrus there were no slaves. How much longer that policy would've extended, I'm not sure. But were the policy still in place under Xerxes, then it would've made sense all the more for Greece, and Sparta in particular, to fight off being incorporated into the Persian Empire, then having to give up all their slaves and essentially their way of life.

[@darthnigga5337]

@@philmstud2k I see. I didn't know about that policy. I just remember reading in different books that they did infact enslave people whom they had conquered. And persian clay tablets have been found (I don't remember from which date) confirming that they did indeed enslave people, and that they were used as labourers among many other things. Also literally every civilization ever up until really recently had slaves.

[@extremosaur]

The Spartan concept of freedom was much more founded in national and cultural autonomy, and less on individual freedom. Certainly there would have been concern about becoming slaves but these are also the Fathers of unapologetic nationalism, the State comes above all else.

[@henrimourant9855]

​@@philmstud2k Yeah that is almost certainly false. There were slaves everywhere back then. There are a lot of claims made about Cyrus that are incorrect like the idea that he believed in human rights and stuff. People read too much into the Cyrus cylinder. All it says is that he will respect the gods of Babylon and protect the city. That's not a human rights declaration.

[@SymptomoftheTimes]

Thanks!

[@orthochristos]

Homosexuality was far from being encouraged. In fact, it was immensely shunned. It was despised by Lycurgus who was the lawgiver as you say.

[@garysmith1863]

Copium is a helluva drug

[@orthochristos]

@@garysmith1863 solid argument...

[@BurnellBrownIII]

too many people out here tryna make gay ok. Rewatching Ace Ventura when Jim crying in the shower got me dying tho. 🤣🤣 If only society had a rewind Button.

[@JeantheSecond-ip7qm]

@@BurnellBrownIIIGay is okay. If it wasn’t, people wouldn’t be born that way. Bigotry is not okay. Also, OP is just wrong. Written by Xenophon, an Athenian that marched with Spartan armies: “Sphodrias had a son, Kleonymos, who was at the age just following boyhood and was, besides, the handsomest and most highly regarded of all the youths of his years. And Archidamos, the son of Agesilaos, happened to be in love with him.”

[@calebwatson4379]

Ppl aren't born gay, if was a birth attribute it would've killed itself off. They don't reproduce to carry those attributes to the next generation.

[@abdelra7man87]

I really liked this one. You have your way for making factual history entertaining really !!

[@extremosaur]

To clarify something, "Molon Labe" translates literally to "Having come, take", not "come and take" or "come and take them".

[@moutsatsosa]

In English it translates to come and get them. Word by word translation means in Hellenic,which is another culture therefore totally different notions that the English ones, MΟΛΩΝ=Past tense passive state of the verb to go (to a destination). ΛΑΒE=Future tense Passive state of the verb that means to grasp something with your fist. So if translated like it is in English it should be :have been come grasped. The phrase is a response to the request "Surrender your shields" and as a reply it means get your ash over here an get them your self if you are able to do so.

[@hofwar]

Incredible storytelling! ✨ The way you explained ancient trade routes really opened my eyes. 🌍

[@veasnaphai8]

Greece saved Europe.

[@JayM-wg7dd]

The cold, wet, savagery of Europe saved Europe from the Persians, not Greece. Greece is a peninsula, if the Persians had wanted to be in Europe, they’d easily have went around.

[@veasnaphai8]

@JayM-wg7dd So, if you want to go to Greece, you go first to England and after down to Greece ? When Greece had a civilization the North Europe was in caves, so there was no interest for Percians at the time. Read better the history and archeology.

[@ShalaJC]

Greece Made Europe.

[@isaacnickel]

What a bullshit, there is evidence that steel was already in wide use in central Europe....​@@veasnaphai8

[@kyleshurmur-dg3kq]

The weather saved europe my friend

[@agustingratt]

This channel is a gem.

[@WhiteP01]

And then the spiritualists say that Turkey is part of Europe. After 1500 years of blood and attempts to conquer Europe. For 3XX years, blood was spilled in the Balkans and countless victims who preserved Christian Europe.

[@tasosk7818]

Well said

[@mrs.g7795]

Wow! I have never seen a documentary this good! Beyond impressive

[@davidfergusson4241]

Now ruled by Brussels a non place hardly seems a fitting out come but a good lesson in the importance of protecting your borders from hostile invasion.

[@fuzzy5610]

That introduction leading into the episode sponsor was impressive work at the very beginning, great stuff.

[@TheoKolokotronis]

Great documentary ! For those interested, one of the most thrilling historical novels on the legendary Battle of Thermopylae is “Gates of Fire” by Steven Pressfield. Truly epic.

[@SlidingRhino]

It is widely known pedophilia was not accepted and neither was homosexuality. It had happened but was a crime in all of Greece... especially Spartan culture.

[@johnbyrnes7912]

Hardly particularly in Crete where a mature lover would take a young boy and bring him up though once grown you were supposed to leave that relationship and lifestyle ! Well documented. 🤡🌈🥕

[@bunchacolors1501]

I'm sure you, some random guy, knows better

[@SlidingRhino]

better than a second random guy who thinks he knows my education level.@@bunchacolors1501

[@FutureMythology]

I've liked most of your videos over the years, but this one is my favorite-and not only because the subject is so interesting. The environment and story were stunning, and I plan to visit Greece next year and explore Arcas. Thanks again for your excellent work!

[@x0lopossum]

29:00 Sparta's dark secret. 45:00 Greek states/colonies were vastly different politically, structurally, and culturally. 52:55 Spartans throw Persian envoy in a well and Athenians throw a Persian envoy into a raveen. 57:00 Archeologists find complete intact bust of a Greek Hoplite warrior in Sparta. 1:20:50.......... 1:12:00 Ephiaoties tells Persians about a secret route to ambush the Greek defenders in exchange for money. 1:13:30 Spartan kind (I think) Leonidas tells his men "EAT A HARDY BREAKFAST, FOR TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!"

[@mansari7310]

"Ephiaoties tells Persians about a secret route to ambush the Greek defenders in exchange for money." that is an excuse for their lost and to imply that if it wasn't for this traitor, we would have won. interestingly there is a similar story about an Iranian traitor who showed the pathway to Alexander go behind Iranian army led by Aryabarzan . that is simply an excuse because due to the fact that both Persian and Greeks are very proud people and without having an excuse the shame of defeat was unbearable for them, so they had to come up with an excuse to cope with the loss.

[@davidleever4564]

Pete did it again! Awesome vid as usual.

[@Jim58223]

27:22 this is a false statement

[@extremosaur]

While it is true homosexuality was far less common among Greeks than degenerate modern culture makes out, all of the sources that talk about the Spartans from the era espouse the idea of pederasty among the Spartans. You really can't just claim that's untrue, do you have a source?

[@Jim58223]

@@extremosaur I'm talking about it being both being encouraged

[@HistoryTime]

I read countless sources whilst researching this video from the last 100 years of historical research. All agreed that homosexuality was encouraged in the Spartan agoge school system for reasons of morale and bonding the men together for victory in war. Just read any scholarly work on Sparta.

[@Jim58223]

@@HistoryTime "Affectionate regard for boys of good character was permissible, but embracing them was held to be disgraceful, on the ground that the affection was for the body and not for the mind. Any man against whom complaint was made of any disgraceful embracing was deprived of all civic rights for life.1" 1 Ibid. chap. xviii. (51 d); Xenophon, Constitution of Sparta, 2. 12-14; Aelian, Varia Historia, iii. 10 and 12. "when male unites with female for procreation the pleasure experienced is held to be due to nature, but contrary to nature when male mates with male or female with female, and that those first guilty of such enormities were impelled by their slavery to pleasure." Plat. Laws 1.63 "Spartan love was not obscene. If a young man dare to tolerate lewdness against him or if a young lover tried hubris to someone else, it wasn't in the interests of none to ashamed Sparta so in such a case they were both forced to leave Sparta or loose their lives" «Σπαρτιάτης δε έρως αισχρόν ουκ είδεν είτε γαρ μειράκιον ετόλμησεν ύβριν υπομείναι είτε εραστής υβρίσαι, αλλ΄ ουδερέροις ελυσιτέλησε την Σπάρτην εγκαταμείναι ή γαρ της πατρίδος απηλλάγησαν ή και το έτι θερμόμετρον και του βίου αυτού.» Aelians various history § 3.12 "A Spartan admire a young man but only like we admire a beautiful statue and one many others and one the many, because sexual pleasure is a hubris unacceptable between them. " «Ερά Σπαρτιάτης ανήρ μειρακίου λακωνικού , αλλ’ερά μόνο ως αγάλματος καλού και ενός πολλοί , και εις πολλών. Η μεν γαρ εξ ύβρεως ηδονή ακοινώνητος προς αλλήλους». Maximus Tyrius, Dialexeis 20.8de "If someone, being himself an honest man, admired a boy's soul and tried to make of him an ideal friend without reproach and to associate with him, he approved, and believed in the excellence of this kind of training. But if it was clear that the attraction lay in the boy's outward beauty, he banned the connexion as an abomination; and thus he caused lovers to abstain from boys no less than parents abstain from sexual intercourse with their children and brothers and sisters with each other." Xenophon, Constitution of the Lacedaimonians. 2.13 “Or the man who has failed to perform all the military service demanded of him, or who has thrown away his shield.” And he is right. Why? Man, if you fail to take up arms in behalf of the state, or if you are such a coward that you are unable to defend her, you must not claim the right to advise her, either. Whom does he specify in the third place? “Or the man,” he says, “who has debauched or prostituted himself.” For the man who has made traffic of the shame of his own body, he thought would be ready to sell the common interests of the city also. But whom does he specify in the fourth place?" Aeschines, Against Timarchus 1 29 [841d] we might forcibly effect one of two things in this matter of sex-relations,-either that no one should venture to touch any of the noble and freeborn save his own wedded wife, nor sow any unholy and bastard seed in fornication, nor any unnatural and barren seed in sodomy,-or else we should entirely abolish love for males, and in regard to that for women, if we enact a law that any man who has intercourse with any women save those who have been brought to his house " Plato, Laws Laws [The teachers of the boys shall open the school-rooms not earlier than sunrise, and they shall close them before sunset. No person who is older than the boys shall be permitted to enter the room while they are there, unless he be a son of the teacher, a brother, or a daughter's husband. If any one enter in violation of this prohibition, he shall be punished with death. The superintendents of the gymnasia shall under no conditions allow any one who has reached the age of manhood to enter the contests of Hermes together with the boys. A gymnasiarch who does permit this and fails to keep such a person out of the gymnasium, shall be liable to the penalties prescribed for the seduction of free-born youth. Every choregus who is appointed by the people shall be more than forty years of age.]” Aeschines, Against Timarchus 1 12 [840d] but have fallen into a strait because of the cowardice of the many, I maintain that our regulation on this head must go forward and proclaim that our citizens must not be worse than fowls and many other animals which are produced in large broods, and which live chaste and celibate lives without sexual intercourse until they arrive at the age for breeding; and when they reach this age they pair off, as instinct moves them, male with female and female with male; and thereafter [841d] we might forcibly effect one of two things in this matter of sex-relations,-either that no one should venture to touch any of the noble and freeborn save his own wedded wife, nor sow any unholy and bastard seed in fornication, nor any unnatural and barren seed in sodomy,-or else we should entirely abolish love for males, and in regard to that for women, if we enact a law that any man who has intercourse with any women save those who have been brought to his house " Plato laws "Well, when he found that Critias loved Euthydemus4 and wanted to lead him astray, he tried to restrain him by saying that it was mean and unbecoming in a gentleman to sue like a beggar to the object of his affection, whose good opinion he coveted, stooping to ask a favour that it was wrong to grant. [30] As Critias paid no heed whatever to this protest, Socrates, it is said, exclaimed in the presence of Euthydemus and many others, “Critias seems to have the feelings of a pig: he can no more keep away from Euthydemus than pigs can help rubbing themselves against stones.” [31] Now Critias bore a grudge against Socrates for this Xenophon, Memorabilia 1.2 "Such, then, was the judgment of your fathers concerning things shameful and things honorable; and shall their sons let Timarchus go free, a man chargeable with the most shameful practices, a creature with the body of a man defiled with the sins of a woman? In that case, who of you will punish a woman if he finds her in wrong doing? Or what man will not be regarded as lacking intelligence who is angry with her who errs by an impulse of nature,while he treats as adviser1 the man who in despite of nature has sinned against his own body? " Aeschines, Against Timarchus 1 185 If therefore Misgolas is willing to come forward here and testify to the truth, he will be doing what is right; but if he prefers to refuse the summons rather than testify to the truth, the whole business will be made clear to you. For if the man who did the thing is going to be ashamed of it and choose to pay a thousand drachmas into the treasury rather than show his face before you,1 while the man to whom it has been done is to be a speaker in your assembly, then wise indeed was the lawgiver who excluded such disgusting creatures from the platform. Aeschines, Against Timarchus 1 46 “Thus, then, as it seems, you will lay down the law in the city that we are founding, that the lover may kiss and pass the time with and touch the beloved as a father would a son” Plato, Republic 3.403b "Ariaeus was a barbarian as he pleasured with young beautiful boys " "Αριαίω δε βαρβάρω όντι, οτι μειρακίοις καλοίς ήδετο " Xenophon Anabasis 2.6

[@extremosaur]

@@Jim58223 You provide some compelling sources. Do you have a theory why these are at odds with the "common knowledge"?

[@christophwieland7827]

Amazing work - actually moved me to tears. Thanks!

[@salomonquijada7144]

It is amazing to see how many KZbinrs are pushing the scam of Better Help. It takes advantage of the weakest at their worst, perpetuating victimhood mentality (and charging money while doing it 😂)

[@theobolt250]

Is that your opinion or do you speak from experience?

[@gingerr9004]

I actually agree with this. I looked at better help once when I was at my deepest low. Deep into my addiction and contemplating suicide. It was 40 (a month) as a reoccurring charge. I’m sorry I know I’m not rich, that’s not a lot of money but again, I was at my lowest. I went to a company that specialized in domestic abuse and addiction to get help. They helped me for free and I still talk to that therapist every week- for free. 20 months sober and still alive! No thanks to better help. And no thanks to the people who left me when I needed them most!

[@JORDANMARC1]

Another banger from the one and only history time!

[@legatelanius636]

Homosexuality was NOT encouraged. Read your sources. Pedeastry was strictly educational. Another Spartans were gay video. Smh

[@ChickSage]

it wasn't encouraged, it was compulsory

[@legatelanius636]

@@ChickSage source or stfu

[@ladeedaa]

I truly live for these videos! Thank you Pete Kelly

[@joachimmilberg2313]

📌I don't know who, but someone actually needs to hear this, you've got to stop saving all your money. Venture into investing some, if you really want financial stability.

[@larsandrune]

Just finish this and its one of the best complete history on sparta I've ever seen 👏 👍

[@00HoODBoy]

Dont matter if the subject interests me, ill always support this channel in any way i can at present. Just the music at the beginning sets the mood lioe nothing else

[@kurtvatland]

This is one of my fav channels. Thank you so much for making these vids!!!!!!