In this activity, students will examine why Sparta’s army was considered the most effective fighting force in the ancient Greek world, focusing on how the agoge training system, the hoplite phalanx, and the helot-based economy combined to produce a society dedicated to military readiness. They will also explore the structural weaknesses that ultimately undermined Spartan power, including the decline in citizen numbers and the loss of Messenian helot labour after the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BCE.

It has 13 questions for students to answer, as well as a paragraph response section for them to demonstrate their understanding of the topic.