History Channel - Rise and Fall of the Spartans (HC) (2002) Part 1 Code of Honor

They were the finest fighters of the ancient world. Their bravery and skill helped preserve Western Civilization in the face of a massive invasion from the east. Concepts they developed, like the boot camp/military service and frontal assault, remain fixtures of military life and tactics to this day. Along with the Athenians with whom they fought a decades-long war they helped to shape, advance and preserve the glory that was Greece. THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SPARTANS explore every aspect of Sparta's culture, lifestyle, history and legacy. Author Steven Pressfield, (Gates of Fire) reflects on the significance of the Battle of Thermopylae, where a force led by 300 Spartan warriors stalled the advance of a hundred-thousand-plus strong Persian army for nearly a week. Scholars like Barry S. Strauss of Cornell University and Yale's Donald Kagan explore the factors that drove the Peloponnesian city-state to strive for martial excellence. And ancient accounts explain how Sparta's warriors were trained and detail their prowess in battle.

Part 1 Code of Honor

The Code of Honor analyze the social structure and governance of Sparta. Their strong moral sense and stoic way of life, without luxuries and always attentive to the needs of the government, made them prosperous people who sought equality among its citizens. The art of war, which was not very innovative despite having forged a legend, controlled the rest of the facets of social life. So the arts, such as architecture, poetry or drama had no place within the Spartan model, contrary to what happened in flourishing Athens. Violence and conquest became the only accepted way of life.

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