Not clean under any circumstances with water or a damp cloth. There is a risk of damaging the patina. Store in a dry place and in a room free from moisture. Protect from impacts with hard objects to avoid damaging the surfaces and patina. Clean and polish with a soft DRY cotton cloth. Is one of the most famous city-states, along with Athens, which had a unique position in ancient Greece. Contrary to other city states, the free citizens of Sparta served as hoplites their entire lives, training and exercising in peacetime, which gave Sparta a professional standing army. Often small, numbering around 6000 at its peak to no more than 1000 soldiers at lowest point, divided into six mora or battalion. The Spartan army was feared for its discipline and ferocity, and was considered the best at the othismos. Military service was the primary duty of Spartan men, and Spartan society was organized around its army. Military service for hoplites lasted until the age of 40, and sometimes until 60 years of age, depending on a man’s physical ability to perform on the battlefield. (/’h? Pla? Ts/ HOP-lytes) (Ancient Greek:??????? , romanized: hoplîtai [hoplî? Tai?]) were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states who were primarily armed with spears and shields. Hoplite soldiers used the phalanx formation to be effective in war with fewer soldiers. The formation discouraged the soldiers from acting alone, for this would compromise the formation and minimize its strengths. The hoplites were primarily represented by free citizens – propertied farmers and artisans – who were able to afford a linen or bronze armour suit and weapons (estimated at a third to a half of its able-bodied adult male population). Some states maintained a small elite professional unit, known as the epilektoi or logades (‘the chosen’) because they were picked from the regular citizen infantry. These existed at times in Athens, Sparta, Argos, Thebes, and Syracuse, among other places. Hoplite soldiers made up the bulk of ancient Greek armies. In the 8th century BC, Greek armies started to adopt the phalanx formation. The formation proved successful in defeating the Persians when employed by the Athenians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC during the First Greco-Persian War. The Persian archers and light troops who fought in the Battle of Marathon failed because their bows were too weak for their arrows to penetrate the wall of Greek shields of the phalanx formation. The phalanx was also employed by the Greeks at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC and at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC during the Second Greco-Persian War. The word hoplite Greek:??????? Hoplítes; pl. ?????? hoplitai derives from hoplon (????? : hóplon; plural hópla????), referring to the hoplite’s equipment. In the modern Hellenic Army, the word hoplite (Greek: o?????? : oplítîs) is used to refer to an infantryman. Was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the state was known as Lacedaemon (?????????? , Lakedaímon), while “Sparta” referred to its capital, a group of villages in the valley of the Evrotas River in Laconia, in southeastern Peloponnese. Around 650 BC, it rose to become one of the major military powers in Greece, a status it retained until 371 BC. Sparta was recognized as the leading force of the unified Greek military during the Greco-Persian Wars. In rivalry with the rising naval power of Athens. Sparta was the principal enemy of Athens during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), from which it emerged victorious after the Battle of Aegospotami. Thebes’ victory over Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC ended Spartan hegemony and freed Messenia from Spartan rule; the loss of the slave labor this region provided sent the city into terminal decline as a military power, though it retained its independence until its forcible integration into the Achaean League in 192 BC. The city recovered some autonomy after the Roman conquest of Greece in 146 BC and became a tourist destination during the Roman era, restoring some measure of prosperity. However, Sparta was sacked in 396 AD by the Visigothic king Alaric, and underwent a long period of decline into the medieval period, when much of its population relocated to Mystras. Modern Sparta is a provincial town and the seat of the Laconia regional administration. Sparta was unique in ancient Greece for its social system and constitution. Which were supposedly introduced by the semi-mythical lawgiver Lycurgus. Spartan society was exceptionally militarized, focusing the entire attention of the Spartiate class on military training and physical development to the point of legally barring them from productive economic activity. The inhabitants of Sparta were rigidly stratified into Spartiates (citizens with full rights), mothakes and perioikoi (free non-citizens), and helots (state-owned enslaved non-Spartan locals), with helots making up the vast majority of the population; social mobility was nearly nonexistent. Spartiate men underwent the harsh agoge training regimen, and Spartan phalanx units were widely considered to be among the best in battle, though this was as much a matter of propaganda as battlefield prowess. Free Spartiate women enjoyed somewhat greater legal rights than elsewhere in classical antiquity, though helots suffered exceptionally harsh treatment at the hands of the Spartiates (particularly the Crypteia), causing repeated revolts. Sparta was a subject of fascination in its own day, as well as in later Western culture following the revival of classical learning. The admiration of Sparta is known as Laconophilia. This product is a 490 BC ancient Spartan Greek fight battle dagger made of wrought iron. It is a unique and authentic piece from Greece, with a Certificate of Authenticity available. The dagger features a Grecian style design with an intaglio feature, making it a valuable addition to any decorative collection. Expertise of the material. With authentic GENUINE OLD PATINA. And finished by an. For your convenience and security, is a. How to obtain a. Please print the description and photos (Photos of your choice), from the listing if desired (laminate) and apply the printed documents and Photos to the item. Total length including handle. Blade width in the widest part. ONE OF A KIND. Is presented in its unaltered condition, with detailing of the features clearly visible, a relatively smooth surface, and a naturally aged patina, deep covered in molted variations of hues and colours as maintained. If you examine the enlarged photos of this. You’ll see that it has been meticulously crafted with stunning details. I’m confident that you’ll be. Which is not only a beautiful work of art but also great antiquities. Thank you for considering our offerings, and we look forward to serving you!!! At our shop, we take pride in offering a unique collection of Ancient Artifacts of diverse cultures from different eras that are truly. That’s why we believe that whoever possesses one of these special. Can be considered to have true pride. We understand that our customers are discerning collectors who appreciate the value and significance of these rare artifacts. That’s why we make every effort to ensure that our collection is authentic and of the highest quality. We believe that owning one of these. Is not just a matter of acquiring a beautiful object, but also of connecting with a rich cultural tradition that spans centuries. So if you’re looking for a truly unique. To add to your collection – you are in the right place! Our inventory represents time-tested investment quality items with everlasting decorative beauty. We look forward to your business and appreciate any reasonable offers. All of our curated items are vetted and guaranteed authentic and as described. We only deals in original antiques and never reproductions. Please keep in mind that we are dealing with ancient and antique items. You should not expect ancient and antique items to be as brand new ones. They always have some degree of wearing. Please, take care to examine the photos and read descriptions. The photos are part of the description in this Listing. You will receive exactly the same item which you see on the pictures, not similar or other. Please read the description carefully and review the photos. All items, which I sell, are captured with high – photographic equipment and the photos, which I insert in my auctions, are with high resolution. Photos are not further processed by specialized software! The pictures in listing are. So that you can perfectly identify all the details of item! Thank you for your time, I wish you successful and happy days.