New book to examine the enduring influence of ancient Sparta

PA 78/12 From the French Revolution and Nazi Germany, through the Cold War USA, and onwards to 21st century cinema screens and YouTube, ancient Sparta continues to resonate through Western thought, more than 2,000 years after the peak of its power. Now, a new book — the result of a major University of Nottingham research project led by a world-leading expert on Sparta — examines the impact of this classical civilisation in modern times and our prolonged fascination with the politics, society and customs of its people. Sparta in Modern Thought: Politics, History and Culture is the first book for more than 40 years to examine the significant modern influence of this ancient Greek city-state. The book is the latest publication by the University's research project, Sparta in Comparative Perspective , Ancient to Modern, directed by Professor Stephen Hodkinson , from the Department of Classics in the School of Humanities, and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Radical thinkers. Professor Hodkinson, who co-edited the book with the project's research fellow, Ian Macgregor Morris, said: "Images of ancient Sparta have had a major impact on Western thought.