Here is courage, mankind's finest possession.

Here is the noblest prize that a young man can endeavor to win, and it is a good thing his

city and all the people shared with him.

When a man plants his feet and stands in the foremost spears relentlessly, all thought of foul

flight completely forgotten.

Tyretis, a seventh century B.C.E. Spartan poet.

This is where we hold them.

This is where we fight.

This is where they die.

Gerard Butler. 21st century. This is where they die!

Gerard Butler.

21st century Australian actor playing Spartan King Leonitis

in the box office smash that got many of us thinking

about how badass Spartans were, 300.

Who are the Spartans really?

Were they the death before dishonor badasses portrayed in 300?

The technical definition would be that Spartans were a group of Greek people

from the ancient Greek city state of

Sparta, whose society was highly structured and yes, very militaristic.

The Spartans are often described as warlike, harsh, and having left no real culture behind outside of a supreme dedication to battle,

but that isn't true. Well, that isn't quite true. The Spartans had a culture of dedication to battle for

most of their history.

...